


Song Of The Ocean

by saddle_tramp



Series: Walking Away [4]
Category: Glee, Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-18
Updated: 2017-02-26
Packaged: 2018-09-25 05:34:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 59,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9804713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saddle_tramp/pseuds/saddle_tramp
Summary: Sam took Sara home to Puck in Kailua expecting to enjoy a nice holiday vacation with their'ohanawhile he helped Sara settle in and decided whether or not to live in Kailua for the next year or two. He landed in Oahu sure that he knew what he wanted from his life, but then everything changed.Title from the song'A Salty Piece of Land'by Jimmy Buffett.And I took off for the ocean,I was searching for the coast.Painting pictures of my vision,With the words from grandma's ghost.Hiding from the dragons,Riding for the sea,Singing ballads from my childhood,'A Pirate’s Life For Me'.Survivors seem to function best,When peril is at hand;Where a song of the ocean,Meets a salty piece of land.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Translations of all the Hawai'ian words and phrases (I hope!) are included in the end note.

~*~*~*~

 

Sunday was family day for the _'ohana_.

It had become a tradition before Steve and Danny had even kissed for the first time, and it wasn't going to change as long as they had any say about it. At first Sunday dinner was just Steve and Danny with Grace there the one weekend a month Danny had custody, but it wasn't long before Kono and then Chin had begun to show up every week, and then Catherine showed up one Sunday after her ship arrived in port, and the _'ohana_ had slowly begun to grow. Malia started to join them with Chin soon after the first time Cath showed up, and Kamekona showed up when he felt like it, often with a cousin or two in tow, and then one Sunday Mary had declared that being a trans-continental flight attendant was boring and came home for good.

The _'ohana_ had stopped growing for nearly a year after Mary came home until Kurt suddenly joined them, battered and a little broken but trying so hard to learn to be accepted and loved by someone other than his parents.  After Kurt began his senior year of high school his new best friend Akela started to show up on weekends to hang out, sometimes with Kailona or Leslie tagging along. Six months later Puck followed Kurt to Hawai'i and joined the family, and then Nana visited for the first time soon afterwards and adopted them all as her grandkids. Two days after Kurt and Puck graduated they found Sam sleeping on the hammock one Saturday morning, sound asleep and jetlagged so badly he slept straight through until brunch the next day. Burt and Carole visited the first time a few days after Sam showed up, staying for two weeks to be there for Kurt and Puck's wedding, and then they moved to Hawai'i a year later after they lost Finn suddenly to a head-on collision with a drunk driver, and the _'ohana_ welcomed them with open arms.

No one new had joined the _'ohana_ in several years when Sam brought Sara home to stay.

For Sam, walking into the sprawling home on the beach with the _'ohana_ was always a relief. They loved and accepted him just as he was even on his bad days, equally happy to see him whether he joined the family on the _lanai_ or went to sprawl alone in the hammock to watch the ocean and sleep for a day or two until he felt human again. He never felt like an outsider in the McGarrett home, always secure in the knowledge he was not only welcomed but loved too, even by the family members he barely knew, simply because he was _'ohana_. That was something Sam couldn't say about anyone he was actually related to except for his little sister, Stacy. His father and little brother both stopped claiming him as family the day he told his family he was gay and were seldom even polite, and Sam's mother didn't really approve of his 'life choices' either, though she still loved him as long as he was careful not to remind her. Sam remembered what it was like before though, remembered having a big family that had been happy even crowded into a space that was always too small, and he had missed it dreadfully since the morning his mother told him he should move out. To him the McGarrett house that was so often full of activity and  _'ohana_ was as familiar and welcoming as the house where he grew up before he knew his blood family's love actually wasn't nearly as unconditional as he had always thought, and being there felt more like home than his apartment in Lima ever had.

Joining the _'ohana_ was different for Sara, though. She had never had many people in her life that she felt completely safe and loved with and had spent most of the last five years alone, scared at home and an outcast at school, and to suddenly have a big family was kind of surreal. It was sort of like culture shock for her, going so quickly from living with a mother she barely saw most days and who didn't let her have friends to suddenly being in a house full of people who were all loud and affectionate with not only each other, but also with her. It didn't help that Grace had school and everyone else worked, so she didn't really feel like she knew any of them yet except for Sam and Noah. Even just a few days in Sam's apartment in Lima had been enough for her to learn to enjoy living with Sam, and she loved being with Noah again after so long, but she barely knew Kurt and still felt like an outsider around Steve, Danny, and Grace.

Friday afternoon marked the end of the work week, freeing not only the people who lived there in the house with Sara but also the rest of the _'ohana_ to wander in and out of the house Friday evening and then all day Saturday, and she had quickly found herself wondering how Noah and Sam could stand it. When everyone who lived in the house on the beach was at home, Sara just wanted to hide in her new room, which she already loved more than she had _ever_ cared about her tiny cramped bedroom in Lima.  She spent the day Saturday sitting by Noah or Sam when she was with the family, and hid in her bedroom more than once until one of them came after her to drag her back to 'family time' with people she didn't really know yet. The worst part of it was that everyone was so _nice_ to her, even though she knew she wasn't doing much to help their attempts to draw her into the family's conversations. She finally made excuses that she was tired and fled to her room to go to sleep, but she had laid awake for hours, listening to the murmur of voices on the _lanai_ below her open window. She couldn't quite make out what they were talking about, but she could hear when they laughed, which happened often.

Sara's first Sunday morning with the _'ohana_ started out much earlier than Sara wanted it to with Noah waking her to join the family for early morning coffee and juice before they all headed out into the water, even Grace and Sam. Sara had followed them out mostly to please Noah, but she pretended to be sleepy and curled up in the hammock while he ran down to the water to enjoy a morning swim with his husband. She wanted to be out enjoying the beautiful warm water too, of course, she had fallen in love with the ocean the moment she saw it, but she couldn't swim and had fallen while she was wading the day before and got such a nasty cut on her leg that Noah was afraid to even let her wade without someone to keep her from doing herself more harm.

Noah and Kurt had promised to teach Sara to swim soon, but they had been busy cooking for everyone and doing mundane things like laundry and cutting the grass the day before so it hadn't happened yet. She hoped they would make time for it later that day, since she had heard Steve mention that Burt and Carole wanted to do all the cooking, but if they didn't she had already decided to ask Sam to teach her while everyone else was busy with work. Sam always made time to do anything she asked him to do, and she knew he wouldn't mind playing in the water. After seeing him swim with the family, she had no doubt that Sam loved the ocean as much as she did and he was a very competent swimmer, if not quite so quick in the water as Noah and Kurt were.

Burt and Carole arrived with a big box of Danishes around nine and settled into chairs on the _lanai_ without realizing Sara was awake, but she didn't mind. Kono and Mary wandered in a little later with two boxes of fresh hot _malasadas_ , both of them windblown and damp in bikinis covered by wrap-around skirts. The rest of the family returned from the water soon afterwards, and then Sara was dragged from the hammock by Noah to sit between him and Sam at the end of the big family table on the _lanai_. Half an hour later Sara was nibbling on a second cocoa cream filled _malasada_ and trying to make sense of it as everyone talked at once, but she couldn't follow any one conversation well enough to even consider trying to join in. There were at least five conversations going on and none of them were really anything she knew well enough to talk about, so Sara just sat quietly and listened, or tried to.

Noah and Sam soon disappeared into the kitchen to cook, but the conversations at the table stayed animated and seemed to veer off on tangents every time Sara thought she had figured out who was talking about what. Nobody seemed to care if she was there anymore after her big brothers went inside, and no one commented when she got up to get another _malasada_ and then quietly disappeared into the house.

 

~*~

 

Sam noticed that Sara wasn't on the _lanai_ when he went to refill coffees right after she left, but he didn't think anything of it until he was putting plates on the table half an hour later and he saw that she hadn't returned. Puck was almost done with making breakfast by then, and Mary was in the kitchen with him making another big pitcher of the hibiscus tea and fruit juice blend that she had gotten most of the family calling 'house wine' despite the fact there was no alcohol in it. Burt was still sprawled in his chair on the _lanai_ talking with Danny and Steve about the next project he was planning to build, a family-sized _huli huli_ rotisserie, while Carole and Kurt watched them and made occasional comments, and Kono and Grace were sitting nearby discussing a boy at school named Lukas who had been driving Grace crazy. The boy kept telling people he was in love with Grace and that he'd marry her one day, and she desperately wanted to know how to make him stop. So far all the advice she had gotten had just made it worse, but she was still hoping someone could give her the magic answer.

Puck was just putting the last of the pancakes on the griddle, so Sam headed upstairs to find Sara and tell her breakfast was ready. The bedroom and bathroom doors were all open on the second floor, the rooms empty, so Sam moved to the narrow pull-down stairs at the end of the hall that led up to Sara's attic bedroom, climbing them part way before he reached up to knock lightly on the wall above the open doorway.

Sara was silent for only a moment before she said quietly, "Come in, Sam."

Sam continued up the stairs into Sara's room, smiling at how brightly lit it was by the large window Steve had hired Kamekona's cousins to install after he decided the attic needed more light. The window was set just above floor level in the wall on the eastern end of the room and gave a beautiful view of the ocean out over the back yard, and Kurt had hung colorful beaded curtains on it that did little to restrict the morning sunlight even closed. Sara had the beads pulled back to one side that morning, tied back with a wide red ribbon, and the window was open to let in a breeze that carried the scent of the ocean and the passion flower vine in bloom below the window as well as the low murmur of voices on the _lanai_.

The wood floors gleamed, polished and shining in the sunshine streaming in the windows with multicolored sparks of light across part of the floor from the sunlight shining through the beaded curtain. The deep golden wood set off the white trim around the floor and windows, contrasting nicely with the brightly painted walls in a cheerful shade of purple by the unlikely name of ' _Joie De Vivre'_ that Sara had chosen from a palette Kurt had asked Sam to show her the night before Sara left Ohio so that the  _'ohana_ could paint her room before she arrived.

Sara hadn't really had time to decorate much yet but the room was starting to show her style anyway, simple but colorful and comfortable, and it already reflected her personality much more than her old room in Lima ever did. Most of the furniture had been stored in the attic for years, used by members of Steve's family in the past and resurrected again for Sara's use with a lot of hard work over the last week. The white dresser with matching shelves and a nightstand had been used last by Mary when she was a little girl, all a bit worn around the edges with wood showing through the paint, but Sara liked the look and had kept them as they were. A delicate old black wrought-iron lamp with a simple frosted glass shade and a matching hanging light had both been in the attic since Steve was five, put there by his mother after he broke the second lamp that had been part of the set and cut himself badly. The old _Koa_ wood coffee table that Sara was using as a desk had been in the attic so long even Steve didn't know where it came from, but after a few rounds of scrubbing with oil soap the dark wood was almost a work of art. Even the ceiling fan had been reclaimed from the junk that used to be piled in the attic, though it had been an ugly shade of dark brown until Sara repainted it white to match her room.

Everything else in the room had been bought in the last week, most of it things that the _'ohana_ had found that they thought Sara might like. Sara's shelves were still mostly empty other than the few books and keepsakes she had brought with her from Ohio, and the walls were still bare of posters or pictures, so Sam thought there was still a lot to do even though he knew Sara was in awe of how much the _'ohana_ had done just to try to make her feel welcome. Puck had found large cushions in shades of green that would serve as chairs by the low 'desk', and Steve and Danny contributed the mismatched pair of huge oversized plush beanbag chairs by the big window. The rag rug in shades of blue and green over by the bed had been offered by Kono, and the dark _'Ohi'a_ wood jewelry box on the dresser had been a present from Mary. Carole had found the large mirror over the dresser in a second-hand shop, and Grace had made her mother take her shopping to get strings of twinkle lights that Sara had draped around the rafters with Sam's help, lending a soft glow almost like starlight when the room was dark.

Sara had wanted her bed to be on the floor under the eaves where the ceiling was only four feet high. Kurt and Puck had taken her and Sam shopping on Wednesday afternoon, and Sara had settled on two stacked futon mattresses because she liked how soft and comfortable they were. By Friday, the bed had been covered by a lightweight patchwork quilt Kurt had given to Sara that she loved so much that she had cried when she realized Kurt had gotten it made just for her. The top of the quilt was a sixteen-pointed starburst pattern in five different purple fabrics against a pale lavender background, and the reverse side was a simple grey cotton patterned with pink roses and green ivy. Kurt had tried to pass it off as something an old friend had just thrown together for him, but Sam knew that Kurt had bought the material and designed how he wanted the quilt to look before he paid a friend with a custom sewing business double the usual rate to get the quilt made in just a day.

Just then Sara was curled up in the dark blue beanbag chair by the big window, so Sam walked over to the unoccupied maroon beanbag, flopping down into it and then just looking at Sara for a moment. She was wearing her one-piece purple bathing suit with an open pale blue button-front over it and a pair of Puck's old denim cargo shorts that were almost comically big on her, held up with the tie rope from Puck's old dark blue bathrobe. Sam could already tell she was gaining weight even just a week after Nancy's death, but she was still much too thin to suit him and he made a mental note to put strawberry cheesecake ice cream on the grocery list. She couldn't resist it and there was plenty of room in the deep freeze to hide a carton or two.

Sara was staring at her knee like it was the most fascinating thing ever which made Sam smile, amused as he asked, "Why are we hiding?"

Sara blushed, still not looking at Sam as she picked at the edge of the bandage on her knee. "I just... felt kind of... out of place. I barely know everyone, and no one was talking to me anyway."

"You could have come in the kitchen with us," Sam pointed out softly, his amusement fading. Being the center of attention the day before while everyone tried to make her feel like part of the _'ohana_ had obviously made Sara uncomfortable, and after she went to bed so early Danny had suggested that they all back off some. Their intentions had been good when they let her withdraw that morning, but Sam realized belatedly that it had backfired and made her feel like no one really wanted her there at all, which was the farthest thing from the truth. Everyone liked her, even Grace, and they all welcomed her company. "You seemed to like Mary well enough, and I know you don't mind being with me or Puck."

"I didn't want to get in the way," Sara said quietly, finally looking up to meet Sam's gaze. She felt as close to him as she did to Noah these days, sometimes much closer. He had been the only 'brother' she could count on for the last five years, and he had spent the last week with her pretty much anytime she was awake, first in Lima and Chicago and then again after they got to Hawai'i. Noah and Kurt worked full time so she hadn't spent as much time with them as she wanted to since she arrived, but Sam had been right there to keep her company, whether that meant taking her for a drive in Steve's truck to show her the island or sitting on the hammock with her when she just wanted to curl up by him to watch the ocean and relax.

"You wouldn't have been in the way," Sam pointed out gently. "We might have put you to work though, helping slice and dice the fruit."

"I didn't want to play Veg-O-Matic either," Sara said sheepishly.

Sam chuckled softly, reaching over to ruffle her hair thoroughly, making it fall in her face. "Come on, brat. It's time to eat." He rolled off the beanbag to stand and then headed for the door, making a mental note to stay with Sara whenever she got too quiet while the _'ohana_ was there in force. He had never felt it with the _'ohana_ , but he remembered the feeling of being an outsider when he was the new guy in Glee, what seemed like a lifetime ago, and he felt guilty for not staying with her so she'd have someone familiar to talk to. He had been slow to really be accepted by the Gleeks, despite the fact they had become his closest friends, and he well remembered how grateful he had been when the others had finally decided he was one of them.

Sara climbed to her feet, moving over to her dresser. "I'll be down in a minute. I'm going to tie back my hair first, it's kind of windy to leave it down today."

"Okay," Sam agreed easily, pausing to watch her a moment. "I'll make sure there's a seat for you by Puck."

"Thanks," Sara said quickly, smiling at him and then looking back at her mirror as she worked on her unruly hair. She was going to pull it back into a high ponytail even though it made the buzzed part of her hair stand out, but first she'd have to brush her hair out again. Sam had made a mess of it, especially after she was out in the wind earlier. Her hair was already doing much better than it was a week ago, shiny again and beginning to lose the worst of the frizz she hated so much, but it was still prone to tangle easily.

Sam started down the stairs, grabbing the beams to either side of the attic door after a few steps and then swinging down into the hall below. He landed lightly and then headed quickly back down to the kitchen, unsurprised to find it empty, then continued out onto the _lanai_. Everyone was already seated together at the table, everything ready for them to eat except the actual food, and conversation fell silent as they looked over at him when he walked out.

"Well, there's _one_ of our strays," Danny said, grinning.

"Sorry to make everyone wait, I went to find Sara," Sam said, smiling at Danny. "She'll be out in a minute." He was a little surprised to see that a new arrival had taken Puck's seat by Kurt and Puck had taken Sam's seat across the table, but Sam didn't hesitate to move towards the empty spot next to Akela. That would leave the end seat open so that Sara could sit there between Sam and Puck where she would feel the most comfortable.

"Don't worry about it," Steve said quickly, smiling.

"Food's in the oven staying warm," Danny added. "It'll be fine, it's not the first time we've waited a meal on someone."

"She okay?" Puck asked, looking concerned.

Sam smiled at Puck as he reached across the table for the glass of mango juice he had left next to Sara's mug of coffee. "She's fine, she just went to fix her hair, the wind was making it get tangled." He sat down and grinned at Puck. "And then I went to tell her it was time to eat and messed her hair up again 'cause that's my job."

Grace giggled and a few of the others looked amused as Puck smirked at Sam and said, "She'll be a few minutes then."

"Probably," Sam agreed, still grinning. He hadn't really messed Sara's hair up that bad, but he had a feeling she wouldn't be in a hurry so he had given her an excuse to take her time.

The conversation about what to grill that afternoon started back up, but Sam tuned it out as he looked at Akela, smiling. Akela was wearing board shorts and a loose weightlifter-style tank top that did very little to hide his tattoos or his body, which was very nice in Sam's opinion. He was handsome with striking jade green eyes, long black hair that he had tied back that day, and tribal tattoos that perfectly set off a deeply tanned upper body that was so well-defined Sam was sure the guy worked out to maintain it. He wasn't quite as impressively muscled up as Puck, but few guys were and Akela definitely had nothing to be ashamed of.

Sam had met Akela only a few times before, but Kurt and Puck had spoken of him so much that Sam felt like he knew Akela far better than their brief meetings could account for. Sam figured that Akela had been Kurt's boyfriend for several months back in high school, and he knew Puck agreed with him even though _Kurt_ hadn't ever noticed he was Akela's world. Puck had suspected Akela was in love with Kurt long before he followed Kurt to Hawai'i, and meeting Akela had made him certain it was a fact, but Kurt still didn't believe they had ever been more than close friends who often made out. Akela had never tried to hide how he felt about Kurt from Puck, who had won Kurt's heart before Akela ever had a chance, and Puck understood Akela's feelings for Kurt too well to resent them. Puck had often invited Akela to spend more time with the _'ohana_ , wanting to be sure that Kurt didn't lose his best friend other than Puck, and even after five years Akela still wandered in fairly often to spend a few hours with Kurt when he could. The rest of the family pretended not to notice the way Akela still looked at Kurt, and Akela pretended not to see the pity that they sometimes didn't hide nearly so well as they thought they did.

Akela looked at Sam after a few moments, feeling Sam's gaze on him. Sam's changeable hazel-green eyes were gentle and warm, and Akela smiled as he said quietly, " _Aloha_ , Sam."

" _Aloha_ ," Sam replied just as quietly, smiling. "Long time no see."

"It's been a while," Akela agreed. He had missed most of Sam's last visit the better part of a year ago, busy on Kaua'i helping an uncle with his surf school while one of his cousins was laid up after a motorcycle wreck, but he had been looking forward to seeing him again so he could finally get to know Sam better. Their last meeting had been at a Sunday dinner just before Sam went home, and Akela had been fascinated by Sam's snarky sense of humor and a rarely-seen sweet smile that had left Akela wanting to make him smile that way again. "How have you been?"

"I'm good," Sam said easily. "Been busy with work and school. You?"

"Busy with work," Akela replied, nodding. "I heard you might be moving?"

"I've been thinking about it," Sam admitted with a smile. "Looked into jobs here a bit, and what I'd have to do to finish out my degree at UH Manoa."

"Nice," Akela murmured, pleased. "You finally going to join us permanently, _hale aikane_?"

"I'm still just a family friend?" Sam asked softly, very aware he was avoiding the question. He hadn't quite decided either way yet, so he was going to just let it ride and see how he felt when New Year's rolled around. His rent in Lima was paid up until his lease was up for renewal on the fifth of January, so he had until the third to decide without it costing him anything. He wouldn't need even a day to move out if he decided to make the move to Hawai'i. Most of what he had in his apartment would go straight to a pawn shop, minus several hard drives, his lovingly restored antique game systems, and a few boxes of games and stuff. The only thing he hadn't yet figured out was his truck. He could sell it easy enough, but he didn't really want to.

Akela smiled a bit wider as he teased quietly, "Learning Hawaiian now?"

" ' _Ae,_ I've picked up a little," Sam said, amused. "I like it here, and it'll help to know what people are saying."

"True," Akela said, "if you want to talk with the _kama'aina_."

"You're _kama'aina_ ," Sam pointed out.

Akela grinned, his green eyes sparkling as he murmured, " _'Oia_. Would you like to spend some time talking with me, Sam?"

"The idea had occurred to me," Sam replied, smiling as he reached for his juice.

Sara hurried out of the house then, distracting them as she said quickly, "Sorry! My stupid hair got all snarled and I had to get the knots out." She moved to sit at the end of the table between Sam and Noah as she gave Sam an exasperated look. "And then I had to do it _again_ because _someone_ thinks it's fun to mess it up."

Akela was surprised that Puck's little sis wasn't trying to hide the shaved part of her hair or the fading bruises and stitched cut on the side of her head, but he still smiled warmly at her when she glanced at him. She didn't seem to know it, but she was a very pretty girl even as thin as she was, and would only be more beautiful when she had gained enough weight to have some curves. He had promised Kurt and Puck that he'd look out for her like she was his own little sister long before he met her. He'd heard enough from Puck and Kurt to know she had grown up a lot like Leslie did, and Lez owned a big piece of his heart even though he hadn't ever fallen for her like she wanted him to.

Sam grinned unrepentantly at Sara. "As one of your big brothers, it's my _job_ to pick at you."

"And it doesn't hurt at all that it's fun," Puck agreed, grinning as he bounced up out of his chair. "Time to eat!"

Steve stood up too, smiling as he started after Puck. "I'll help carry."

"Thanks, Superman," Puck said cheerfully, already on his way into the kitchen.

Akela leaned towards Sam to bump his shoulder, making Sam look at him as Akela gave him an inviting little smile. "Just tell me when and where."

"You're the one with the job," Sam pointed out quietly, pleased. "I'm free as a bird until after New Year's."

"Nice," Akela said softly, the smile shifting into a slight smirk. "Sounds like it's about time I take a vacation."

Sam smiled wider, hazel eyes sparkling as he murmured, "If you do, you know where to find me."

Puck and Steve walked out of the house with platters of food then, distracting Sam for a moment, so he was surprised when Akela leaned in close to murmur into his ear, "Count on it, _kumu_."

Sam grinned but didn't reply. He was going to have to look up what _kumu_ meant as soon as he got a chance.

 

~*~

 

Akela headed out after brunch without any explanation, though he did make sure to tell Sam that he'd be back. Mary was already gone by then, called in by her boss to sub for a guy who didn't show up for work, so she would be spending the afternoon playing tour guide for half a dozen tourists on the other side of the island. Burt and Carole had headed to the store to get meat for the grill, but Sam expected them to be back soon to start marinating the steaks and chicken Burt had decided to make.

Kono, Grace, and Steve had decided it was a great day to surf since half the _'ohana_ had wandered away, and Danny had let them talk him into it even though surfing wasn't his favorite pastime by far. They had all just gotten out past the break, and they were laughing and talking while they waited for the next set of waves. The waves weren't ever very high on their beach, but they were coming in steady that day because of the wind and most were big enough to be a fun ride without needing to worry about a wipeout.

Sam was wearing board shorts and a tank top, but going surfing just a few hours after taking a three mile swim before breakfast sounded a whole lot like work to him. He was sprawled on the hammock with Puck's guitar instead, one foot tucked under him and the other in the sand to rock the hammock slowly while he idly played random snatches of songs and watched Puck and Kurt in the shallows with Sara. They were teaching her to swim and she was doing pretty good, already floating on her back while Puck and Kurt stayed close and talked her through moving her feet to propel herself through the water while she floated. Sam was sure it wouldn't be long before they had her doing the backstroke there in the shallows. They had taught him the same way a few days after they all graduated from high school, and in only a day had him swimming well enough not to need their help anymore.

Akela suddenly walked around the hammock to stop in front of Sam, holding a shave ice cup in each hand. "Hope you like macadamia nut ice cream, I got it in both." He hefted the shave-ice that was swirled in bright shades of yellow and orange. "This one's mango and pineapple." He offered the other one, which was a uniform dark brown color. "And this one's coffee, root beer, and wedding cake, which sounds weird but is _really_ good."

"I've always been more on the fruity side," Sam said with a smile, his hands stilling on the guitar. "Unless you got that one for you."

Akela grinned and handed Sam the mango-pineapple ice and then sat down on the hammock, turning sideways to face him. "I'm easy. I like both."

Sam smirked slightly, laying Puck's guitar on the sand under the hammock with his free hand and then carefully extracting the spoon that was stuck into his shave ice. "Are we still talking about the shave ice?"

Akela grinned wickedly, his pale green eyes sparkling. "That depends, _kumu_. What did you have in mind?"

Sam gave Akela his best innocent look even though being called _kumu_ made him want to laugh now that he'd had a chance to look it up. "Just remembering some of the stories I've heard about you is all." He took a bite of the shave ice and then hummed happily. "Mm, wow. That's _awesome_. Thanks."

"It's even better when you get down to the ice cream," Akela said, amused. "And you've got an unfair advantage on me. I know you've taken care of Sara for Puck, and that you're family, but not a lot about _you_."

"Not a lot to tell," Sam said with a shrug, smiling. "I met Puck and Kurt when I transferred to McKinley about a year before Kurt started school here. I'm a computer nerd and a gamer, and I can play a guitar and dance and sing, but I played football too and did okay."

"That covers high school, but that was years ago," Akela said, looking curious and amused. "How about now?"

Sam grinned. "I'm still me, a computer nerd and a gamer that can play and sing. I even still dance sometimes if I've got someone to do it with." He took another bite of his shave ice, then added, "I'm really kinda boring."

Akela laughed softly. "Being a gamer must make a lot more money than it used to if you can afford to visit Hawai'i a few times a year."

"Nah, being a gamer's still pretty useless," Sam said, smiling. "In high school I wanted to do game design, but when I really got into the actual nuts and bolts of it I found out it wasn't nearly as fun as _playing_ the games, so I went towards computer tech and security instead. I make good money now running the computer systems for a security firm, and I'll make even more after I finish out another degree. If I transfer to UH Manoa I should be able to get a bachelor's in computer science in a couple semesters, and I already have associate degrees in digital forensics, system administration, and network security. With all four, I'll be able to get a security job with pretty much any business that has a computer system, and I'll be able to do most of it remotely if I want."

Akela was quiet a moment, savoring a bite of shave ice while he thought about what Sam had said, and then he finally admitted, "I do good to surf the internet."

Sam grinned. "Which is why I just say I'm a computer geek unless people ask questions. That's all most people really want to know."

"Well, that covers work," Akela said, smiling. "What about play? Do you ever leave the computers behind?"

"A lot of the time I play on the computer too," Sam replied, smiling wryly. "Part of why I can afford to visit here a couple times a year is because I hardly ever date and I don't waste my money on going out or partying." He took a bite of his shave ice and then added, "My idea of a big night on the town this last year or so has been a meal I didn't have to cook and treating myself to a movie."

"Why don't you date?" Akela asked, looking a little surprised. "I know it's not because you can't score, _kumu_. A guy like you can take his pick."

"I quit looking," Sam admitted, pleased that Akela thought he was such a catch. "The last guy I picked up was okay to watch a movie with, but then I tried to _talk_ to him." He made a face. "I could have had a better conversation with a rock."

"You gave up because of one idiot?" Akela half-asked, amused.

"Not really, that was just icing on the cake," Sam explained. "There's pretty much no gay scene in Lima, and the few places where I might pick up a guy are...  well, places I don't much want to be anymore."

Akela was quiet for a few moments, just eating his ice, then asked very quietly, "Were you attacked like Kurt was?"

"Some," Sam said softly, "but that mostly stopped after high school." He dug a bite of ice cream out of his cup, enjoying the flavor of the macadamia nut ice cream drenched with the mango and pineapple syrups used to flavor the ice. "I never got hurt as bad as Kurt did. I took some self-defense lessons after Puck told me he was leaving 'cause I knew when he was gone I'd be on my own. That saved my ass. After word got around I could fight and didn't play nice, they stopped bothering me very much."

"What about that guy you were with for so long?" Akela asked quietly.

"Blaine's why I stopped going to the places I used to hang out," Sam replied, looking down at his cup as he stirred it slowly to combine the ice cream more with the shave ice and syrup. "He packed up and left my place last Valentine's to move in with a guy he'd been seeing for months by then." He let out a little huff that wasn't quite a laugh. "All my friends knew they had been dating, but nobody told me."

"Damn," Akela murmured.

"Yeah." Sam looked up again, giving Akela a crooked little smile. "Blaine is real close to all of my friends in Lima, pretty much. I don't want to run into him with Karofsky again and have to listen to them simper about the perfect wedding they're planning, so I don't get out much anymore."

Akela recognized Karofsky's name and frowned, surprised. "How could that Blaine guy want anything to do with him?"

"Hell if I know," Sam replied. "It's been five years but _I_ still hate Karofsky's guts. There's no forgiving what he did to Kurt, not for me."

"Or for anyone who cared about Kurt, I'd think," Akela agreed. "I didn't mean just that though. That guy was ugly all day." Sam's eyebrows went up, surprised that Akela had seen Karofsky, and Akela added, "Kurt never wanted to talk about why he left Ohio, so I asked Puck. He told me about that guy and sent me the video you made of him beating Karofsky to a pulp."

"Gotcha," Sam said, smiling wryly. "I think Puck might have killed him that night if not for how worried he was about Kurt's state of mind then. He didn't want Kurt to feel responsible for him doing serious time."

Akela nodded. "I got that feeling too." He looked out towards the water, where Puck and Kurt were staying on either side of Sara as she did the backstroke in water about waist deep. "After I knew what had happened, I wanted to go finish the job."

"You're not the only one," Sam agreed. "Imagine my shock when I walked into a restaurant to meet up with my friends for brunch the day after I got the 'we're better as friends' speech and saw my ex, the one who _happened_ to be Kurt's very first boyfriend, sitting in the lap of the guy who nearly killed Kurt. I was on a plane a few hours later, headed here." He paused and then added, "Finding out my first boyfriend is a lawyer working to get gay marriage repealed was bad, but Blaine took the cake with the whole Karofsky thing."

Akela looked back at Sam for a moment and then laughed. "You have terrible luck with men."

"Tell me about it," Sam agreed, amused.

Akela's grin shifted into a smirk. "Maybe you should let someone with more _experience_ pick your next one, _kumu_."

Sam grinned. "You have someone in mind?"

" _'Ae_ ," Akela replied, his green eyes sparkling. "You could say that."

"Tell me about him then, _ka'u aikane_ ," Sam said quietly, leaning to put his empty shave-ice cup in the sand and then picking up Puck's guitar again. He smiled at Akela, starting to play again without consciously choosing a song. "What makes you think he and I would be good together?"

Akela shifted to get a little more comfortable. "He's _kama'aina_ , to start with." He grinned, green eyes sparkling. "He works out some and he surfs every day if he can, so he's looking pretty good for a beach bum. Always has _wahines_ panting after him, wanting to _hana ma'i_."

Sam laughed, surprised. "Lots of guys are hot, though. That's not enough for me."

" _'Oia_ ," Akela agreed, "but this one, he's no pretty idiot, _kumu_." He stared into Sam's eyes, smirking. "He could show you all the best parts of the island, help you make a home for yourself here if you wanted."

"So could Kurt and Puck," Sam pointed out quietly, his fingers lightly picking out a tune as he smiled at Akela.

"They won't ever worship that sexy body of yours though," Akela pointed out, still looking into Sam's eyes with that little smirk. "This guy I know, he'd take real good care of you as often as you could stand it. He thinks you're _'ume loa_."

"Yeah, that's definitely not happening with them," Sam admitted, blushing slightly at the thought of letting Akela take care of him even though he didn't hesitate to meet Akela's gaze. He hadn't gotten laid in months, and he'd had more than a few fantasies about Akela's perfect body. "But they've got what I want."

"Each other?" Akela half-asked, looking curious suddenly.

"Forever," Sam corrected, smiling.

Akela looked at Sam for a few moments before he murmured, "Forever is a _long_ time, _kumu_."

"It is," Sam agreed, looking down at the guitar as he shifted to another song. "I think it would be nice, though, having a lifetime to learn all the reasons you love someone and all the little ways to make them happy."

"I never thought about it that way," Akela admitted quietly. "Never knew anyone I cared enough about to want anything like that, except..."

Akela fell silent and Sam looked at him again, meeting Akela's gaze as he said gently, "You can say it, 'Kela. I know."

"Then I don't _have_ to say it," Akela pointed out, looking surprisingly serious.

Sam smiled crookedly. "No, I guess not." He looked back down at the guitar as he began to sing along quietly with the music he had been playing. " _We're meant to be friends, that's what it says in the script. Is it really the end, if sometimes I stray just a bit? Oh no... It should be poetry, not prose. I'm in love with you, do you think it shows?_ "

"You sing that like you know what it's like, _kumu_ ," Akela murmured, trying to ignore how his own face was heating up.

Sam looked up. "We've got a lot in common, you and I." He chuckled and then murmured softly, "Though it's not Kurt I fell for back in high school."

Akela tilted his head, looking curious. "Who?"

Sam smiled wryly. "It's not hard to figure out, Akela." He looked out towards the water, where Kurt was starting to show Sara how to tread water while Puck stuck close behind her to keep her from going under.

Akela followed Sam's gaze, looking at Kurt, Puck, and Sara for a long moment before he let out a little snort of a laugh. "Figures."

Sam looked at Akela, surprised. "Why?"

Akela smiled crookedly. "It's my luck. Kurt fell for him before I ever had a chance, too."

Sam smiled. "I'm not Kurt, though. I'm their brother. I gave up on more before you ever met either one of them."

Akela looked at Sam for a few moments longer and then looked towards Kurt and Puck again, watching Kurt beam at Sara and talk happily to her. "I'm not stupid or blind either, Sam. I knew it was a dream that was never going to come true the day I met Puck."

"Maybe it's finally time for you to find a new dream, Akela," Sam said softly.

Akela looked back at Sam. "Are you volunteering?"

Sam looked seriously into Akela's eyes, taking in how the bright green of them had darkened while he thought about his feelings for Kurt. "You think you could learn to date just one guy?"

"For the right guy," Akela quietly agreed, not even needing to think about it. "I'm not the _lahoku_ I used to be, though sometimes I get lonely enough I try to forget that for a while. I just let the _'ohana_ think I am. It's easier that way."

"Being a _lahoku_ could be fun, I'd think," Sam said with a hint of a smile, "but there's something else I have in common with Kurt." Akela looked curious, so Sam explained, "I don't share."

Akela just looked at Sam for a moment and then smiled. "I don't think you'd have to worry about that, _kumu_. Having someone like you would be enough for anyone with the brains to know how lucky he was."

"Good to know," Sam murmured with a pleased smile. "I have to know just one more thing before this goes anywhere, though."

"Ask," Akela said, surprised.

"Why do you keep calling me 'goatfish'?" Sam asked, amused

Akela laughed, his eyes brightening and starting to sparkle again with sudden amusement. " _Kumu_ means lots of things. It's all about the context. _Kumu_ is a goatfish, yes, but it also means teacher, reason, price, or even beginning. It's the name of a type of taro plant, too, and is also slang for a very sexy, desirable man." He grinned impishly. "That last is the one that _you're_ curious about."

Sam laughed softly, surprised and feeling his face heat up a bit. "Good to know."

"It suits you," Akela said easily, still grinning. "Now what would you like to see first?"

Sam blinked at the sudden subject change. "Do what now?"

"Where do you want to go?" Akela asked, smirking. "On a _date_ , Sam."

"Oh." Sam laughed softly. "I dunno. I'm not much for bars or any of the touristy things, but other than that, I could be persuaded. Just not today."

"Sunday is for _'ohana_ ," Akela agreed, "but tomorrow is just another Monday, so it can be ours. I was thinking we'd leave around five."

"Seems kind of early for a date," Sam pointed out, surprised.

Akela grinned. "I'd pick you up at dawn if I didn't know you're keeping Sara and Gracie company this week while everyone else is at work, _kumu_. I only have a couple weeks to convince you to stay."

Sam just looked into Akela's sparkling green eyes for a few moments, and then suddenly smiled. "Surprise me."

Akela grinned wider, pleased. "I can do that."

"I bet you can," Sam agreed with a soft laugh, looking down as he changed songs and started to sing again. " _On the beach you'll find them there..._ "

Sam looked up in surprise when Akela joined in, enjoying the way Akela's deeper voice sounded with his own as they sang quietly together. "... _in the sun and salty air. The girls on the beach, are all within reach, if you know what to do_."

 

~*~

 

Sara was smiling as she swam competently back to shore despite how tired she was, very conscious of Noah watching her. She was doing well enough that Noah and Kurt had been praising her constantly for the last hour or so, but when she started getting truly tired, Noah had ordered her out of the water in no uncertain terms. She didn't want to stop swimming now that she finally could, but she knew that tone of voice and did as she was told, heading for the beach.

Sara stood when she got to where the water was only knee deep, looking back and smiling when she saw Noah was still watching her even though Kurt was already swimming out towards the rest of the family. She waved and Noah lifted one hand, grinning at her, then did a graceful flip in the water and started to swim after Kurt more quickly than he had the entire time she had been in the water with him, sunlight flashing off his muscular arms and shoulders as he powered through swells like they weren't even there.

Sara turned her attention back to the beach, wading out of the water and then walking up to the chair where she had left her cargo shorts and the long-sleeved shirt Sam and Kurt had insisted she wear so much. She could feel her shoulders starting to burn despite the sunscreen she had put on earlier, and she was grateful for the protection of the soft, thin cotton shirt as she pulled it on. She stepped into her shorts next, ignoring how wet she was, and then tied the makeshift belt as she started slowly up the beach towards the hammock where Sam was sitting with Kurt's friend, Akela.

Sam was still playing Noah's guitar, smiling at Akela while they talked, and Sara was surprised to realize they were looking at each other kind of like they wanted to be kissing instead of talking. She had seen them talking some during breakfast, but it hadn't really dawned on her then the way they were looking at each other. She grinned, pleased and thinking that a boyfriend might be enough to keep Sam in Hawai'i as she changed course slightly towards the house. She wanted something cold to drink, and she needed to get the sunscreen, too. Noah had put it on her back for her earlier, but he was busy swimming so she was going to ask Sam to help.

Sam noticed Sara turn towards the house but he pretended not to, smiling at Akela as he murmured, "You don't mind Sara joining us, do you?"

"Of course not, _kumu_ ," Akela replied just as quietly, smiling a bit wider. "She's your _poki'i_ , and _'ohana_ to us both."

"Good," Sam replied softly, giving Akela a warm smile. "She probably will then. She'd like to hide, I'm sure, but if she does I'll just have to go get her again."

Akela chuckled softly. "Kurt said something about not being sure she likes having such a big _'ohana_."

"It's not that she doesn't _like_ it, I don't think," Sam corrected very quietly, "she's just not used to it." He paused, glancing towards the house to be sure Sara was inside, then looked back at Akela as he explained, "Her mom was a real piece of work. She wouldn't let Sara have any friends around, and after she kicked Puck out and threatened to get him arrested if he ever talked to them again, they had no real close family besides Nana and me." He sighed. "And Sara was terrified for her mom to know I was helping her, so I didn't get to see her often. I didn't know until a few days ago that her mom had threatened to get me arrested for statutory rape right after Puck left if Sara ever talked to me again." He snorted. "I'm _gay_ , but that wouldn't have helped any in Lima. Sara's so much younger than me, the jury would have thrown the book at me."

Akela shook his head, murmuring, "Her mother was a _kamipulu_ of the worst kind." He looked towards the house, also checking to be sure Sara wasn't coming back yet, then added quietly, "Kurt said that her mother hurt her?"

Sam nodded, looking down at the guitar as he switched to another song. "She did. Mostly with words, but sometimes she hit her too. It was hell."

Akela reached over to put his hand on Sam's upper arm, making Sam look at him as Akela gave his arm a squeeze and murmured very softly, "I know what it was like for you, not being able to stop it." Sam looked surprised and Akela added, "One of the girls I grew up with, her dad was _loko 'ino_ that way too." He saw Sara step back out of the door to the _lanai_ and let his hand drop. "She's coming back."

Sam smiled and then he began to sing, " _She was an American girl, raised on promises..._ "

Akela grinned and joined in with Sam, and they sang together as Sara approached them. " _She couldn't help thinking that there was a little more to life, somewhere else."_

Sara stopped by them, surprised but grinning as she watched them sing, sipping at her bottle of cold water. She had the sunscreen in her other hand, along with the lid to her water bottle, but she had forgotten about it for the moment. She had seen Noah and Kurt sing once that week, and Sam played and sang fairly often when he was sprawled on the hammock with nothing better to do, but she hadn't really thought about whether or not Akela might sing. She didn't know him past what she had overheard during breakfast, and he had been pretty quiet during the meal other than making an occasional comment that made Sam grin or even laugh.

 _"After all it was a great big world, with lots of places to run to. Yeah… And if she had to die, trying, she had one little promise she was gonna keep._ " Sam and Akela were grinning at each other, Sam playing the familiar old song easily as they sang, and Sara felt lucky to be allowed to watch. " _Oh yeah, all right. Take it easy, baby. Make it last all night. She was, an American girl_."

"You two sound good together," Sara said then, grinning.

Sam looked over at her, letting the guitar fall silent. "He is pretty good," Sam agreed, smirking a bit as he looked back at Akela. "Kurt never said you could sing too."

"Might be because he doesn't know," Akela said, amused.

Sam's eyebrows went up, surprised. "Really?"

"Mostly I sing along to the radio," Akela said, smiling at Sam. "Kurt and I went out some in school, sure, but not with the radio going."

"What about at bonfires?" Sam asked, still surprised. "I know people pass around a guitar and sing then. I went to a couple with Kurt and Puck."

"Sometimes," Akela agreed, "but when I went with Kurt I was there to be with him, not to sing."

Sam laughed. "Good point." He looked at Sara, smiling at her as he asked, "Did you want help with that sunscreen, bittygirl?"

Sara nodded, a little surprised as she looked at Akela and asked, "You dated Kurt?"

Akela grinned. "Depends who you ask, _poki'i_."

Sam snickered, and when Sara looked at him he explained with a grin, "Kurt never noticed they were dating, but everyone else did."

Sara blinked and then giggled. "Really?"

"True fact. I was in _Ohio_ and I noticed," Sam replied, smirking. "He and Akela dated for a few months right after Kurt moved here, but Kurt never figured it out even though they were making out all the time."

Sara giggled again, but before she could say anything Akela was talking again.

"And then Kurt realized he was never going to love anyone else like he loves Puck," Akela said dryly. "We still went out after that, but he made sure I remembered we were just friends. His heart belonged to Puck before I ever met him, he just didn't know it at first."

Sara looked at Akela for a moment, her smile fading as she said quietly, "That had to be rough for you."

"Eh, I knew, _poki'i_ ," Akela said, smiling reassuringly at her. "Kurt told my best friend about Puck the day we met him, even showed her a bunch of pictures. Kailona made sure that I knew he was in love with the guy he left behind. She could see how much I liked him and didn't want him to break my heart." He smiled crookedly. "For a while I hoped he'd forget, but after Puck followed him here I knew it'd never happen. Puck owns him, heart and soul."

"And Puck feels the same about him," Sam agreed, smiling wryly at Akela. "He figured it out a long time before Kurt did, though. Puck stopped really looking at anyone else not long after I met him."

"It could be worse, _kumu_ ," Akela said, giving Sam in impish grin. "At least tagging after them made sure that _we_ met."

Sam laughed softly, surprised. " _'Oia'i'o_ , _makamaka_."

"Since when do you speak Hawaiian?" Sara asked, looking at Sam in surprise.

Sam smiled at Sara. "This isn't my first trip here, bittygirl. I've picked up a little."

"Picked up a lot," Akela corrected. Sam looked at him, pleased, and Akela added, "I know _kama'aina_ who barely know anything more than _aloha_ , _kumu_. You're doing well."

"Languages have always been easy for me," Sam said with a slight little shrug, smiling.

"What does _kumu_ mean?" Sara asked, curious.

Akela smirked at her. "Goatfish."

Sara blinked and then giggled. "No, really! What does it mean?"

"It _does_ mean goatfish," Akela said, grinning impishly at her. "It also means a lot of other things, though. It's a very dense language, _poki'i_. One word can have many meanings. It's all about intent."

"So what are you calling Sam?" Sara asked, smiling and curious. "I know you're not calling him a _fish_."

" _Kumu_ is also an affectionate term for a very sexy man," Akela said, still grinning.

Sara smirked at Akela. "He _is_ awfully nice to look at, isn't he?"

"Sara!" Sam said, surprised and laughing.

"Well! It's true!" Sara grinned at Sam, completely unrepentant. "Just because you're my brother doesn't mean I'm _blind_. Noah's hot too, if you like the beefy type."

Sam laughed softly, feeling his face heat up a bit as he tried to find a reply.

Akela grinned at Sara. "Your brothers are definitely _'ume_ , but they would have to be with such a _nani_ baby sister, _poki'i_."

Sara blushed. "What does that mean?"

" _Nani_ means beautiful," Kurt said suddenly, making them look towards his voice in surprise to see him walking up the beach towards them with Puck. He looked amused as he added, "I don't think Akela used my name more than a handful of times the first six months I knew him, he was always calling me _nani_."

"It's still true," Akela said cheerfully, turning to smile at Kurt even though he hadn't realized Kurt was listening. "I just leave it to your _kane i ka ʻili_ to remind you now, _hoapili_."

Kurt laughed softly, looking at Puck with a sudden little grin. "He does."

Puck grinned wickedly at Kurt. "Often."

"Just not in front of family," Kurt pointed out as they stopped by the hammock.

"Right," Puck agreed, moving to drape an arm around Kurt's waist. "I can totally behave in public, baby."

"You'd better," Kurt said with another soft little laugh, putting his arm around Puck's shoulders and leaning against him.

"I meant _poki'i_ ," Sara said, bemused and wondering how Akela and Sam could watch Kurt and Noah together without it hurting. No one had exactly said so, but she could read between the lines well enough to know that Akela had a thing for Kurt, and that Sam seemed to have similar feelings for Noah. It explained a lot about why Sam had always been there for her even before they really knew each other. She knew Sam cared about her for herself _now_ , but she and Sam had barely known each other when Noah left and Sam had still helped her without hesitation any time she asked. "I could figure out _nani_ from what he said."

Sam laughed. " _Poki'i_ is an affectionate term for a much younger sibling or cousin."

"Thanks, Sam." Sara smiled at him. "And what he called Noah?"

Sam looked at Akela. "That one's all you, I only know the _kane_ part."

Akela laughed softly. " _Kane i ka 'ili_ means 'true husband' or ‘husband in the skin’ if you want to get literal," he said, smiling at Sara. "The husband that is perfect for someone, the one _Akua_ meant for them to have."

Puck smiled. "In Hebrew, it's called _bashert_. Nana told me about it her first visit here. She said that when she was a little girl, her grandmother told her that sometimes when a soul is ready to be born, it gets separated into two bodies." He looked at Kurt, adding quietly, "If they ever meet again there will be a love and a bond there that nothing can ever break, the two halves finally whole again."

Kurt was smiling as he looked at Puck and murmured, "Still sounds about right to me."

"Me too," Puck agreed. "Nana says she knew we were _bashert_ the first time she saw us kiss."

"That does feel like coming home," Kurt agreed with a slightly wider smile, leaning to kiss Puck lovingly.

"Does everyone have a _kane i ka 'ili_?" Sara asked Akela, curious but also wanting to give him an excuse not to watch Kurt and Noah. He didn't look upset by them kissing, but she knew she would be if it was her.

Akela chuckled softly. "Well, the stories _say_ that everyone has perfect mate, _poki'i_ , but not everyone is fortunate enough to _find_ their other half. Some go a lifetime looking, but most settle for something less so they won't have to be alone."

"Yeah, only that doesn't work out so well after a while," Sam said, looking at Akela. "I'm not ever doing it again."

Akela smiled at Sam. "I feel the same way, _kumu_. A little fun between friends is one thing, but to stay together there has to be _kipona aloha_."

" _'Ae, 'i'ini_ isn't enough," Sam murmured with a warm smile for Akela, his hazel-green eyes sparkling. "Only a _kamipulu_ would settle for _kaunu waha_."

Akela grinned. " _'Amene_ , _kumu_."

Puck laughed, surprised by both the way Sam and Akela looked at each other and the fact Sam had obviously been learning to speak Hawaiian. "Something tells me we missed a _lot_ while we were out swimming."

"It's telling me the same thing," Kurt agreed, amused as he glanced at Puck and then looked at Sam and Akela. "I understood enough of that to want to know what's going on here, though. Would you two like to share with the class?"

Sam laughed, looking at Akela with a bit of a smirk and just waiting.

Akela looked into Sam's sparkling eyes for a moment, then looked at Kurt with a smirk of his own. "Sam has decided to give me a chance and go out with me."

"That was hours ago," Sam said, making Akela look at him quickly in surprise. Sam met Akela's gaze, his hazel-green eyes warm and amused. "I've seen enough now to know how our date will go."

Akela laughed softly and gazed into Sam's eyes, feeling a surge of something that surprised him a bit. "And?"

Sam met Akela's gaze a few more moments, his smile widening a bit at the warmth and pleasure so plain in Akela's expressive eyes, and then looked at Kurt and Puck. "Don't wait up."

Sara giggled, beaming. She knew he had been alone for most of a year despite how easy it was to love him, and a few things he'd said the last week had made her realize that he had been very lonely. Kurt and Noah had known Akela for years and they both trusted him and called him family, so she didn't think he'd ever hurt Sam the way that Blaine did.

Kurt smiled happily at Sam. "Good for you, Sam. You've been alone entirely too long, and I know how you hate it." He looked at Akela, a bit more serious, "And you, you may try to hide it but you've been at least as lonely as Sam, waiting for whatever it is you're waiting for." Akela stared at Kurt, surprised, and Kurt added with a wry little smile, "I know you, _hoapili_."

Puck was looking at Akela, looking serious as he asked, "Are you sure about this, 'Kela?"

Akela looked at Puck in surprise, still not quite over finding out that Kurt had known how lonely he was. "Why do you ask?"

"Just answer the question," Puck said, still serious.

Akela met Puck's gaze for a few moments longer in silence before he said quietly, "Yes, Noah, I'm sure. I like Sam more than I've liked anyone in years, and I want to see where this can go."

Puck smiled, pleased. "Good. He needs a guy he can count on, Akela. If you really care, then I'm all for it being you. There aren't many around who are half so loyal as you are, _hoaloha_."

Akela just stared at Puck in surprise for a moment before he murmured, " _Mahalo_."

" _He mea iki_ ," Puck replied, smiling at Akela.

Kurt was smiling happily as he gave Puck a squeeze. "I agree completely." He looked at Sam, adding, "And you can _trust_ Akela, Sam. He says what he means."

"I know," Sam agreed, amused that Puck seemed to think he needed protected. "It's not like he's a stranger, guys. You've both been telling me about him for years." He looked at Akela, who was watching him with a bemused expression, and his smile widened a bit as their eyes met. "You might not know so much about me, but I liked you the first time we met. Dating will just tell us if there's anything more."

"I think there will be, _kumu_ ," Akela murmured, finally smiling again.

"So do I." Sam smiled a little wider. "You must have missed me telling them not to wait up."

Akela grinned, pleased. "I didn't miss it, but one doesn't always mean the other."

"It does for me," Sam said, amused. "There won't be any _kaunu waha_ , 'Kela. It's _kipona aloha_ or nothing."

Akela's grin softened again and he just looked into Sam's eyes for a few moments before he murmured, "I remember what you want, _huapala_."

"I thought you would," Sam said easily, smiling as he met Akela's gaze. "Never hurts to be sure, though."

Kurt's eyes widened and he just stared at them even though he was beaming. Akela had called Kurt _huapala_ many times over the years, starting the day they met, but Kurt had never heard Akela call anyone else that, not even Leslie, though he had often called her _ipo_ or _hoa'inau_ which meant almost the same thing. In Kurt's experience though, that 'almost' was where most of the nuance in the Hawaiian language lived, and always meant the words meant something more to those who truly knew the language, but that no _kama'aina_ expected a mere _malihini_ to understand the difference.

Puck was smirking next to Kurt, pleased that Akela and Sam had hit it off. He couldn't think of anyone better for either of them, and they had both been alone more than long enough as far as he was concerned. The fact that Sam would likely stay if he fell for Akela was just icing on the cake.

Sara glanced at Kurt and Noah, stifling a giggle at how surprised and happy Kurt looked, and how smug Noah was. She looked back at Sam and Akela and her smile softened at how they were looking at each other, seeing the hope and the warm affection there, and she decided that Kurt and Noah had bothered them enough. She stuffed her water bottle into a pocket on the right side her cargo shorts and then did the same with the sunscreen on the other side to free her hands, then turned to Noah and Kurt, reaching for their hands. "Come on, you two. You can bug them more later."

Kurt laughed softly and let Sara tug him towards the _lanai_ without any argument. Noah was smirking as he let Sara drag him along with Kurt, teasing, "You just want to sit over there and watch them."

Sara blinked, surprised, and then grinned. "That does sound fun, but no. I wanted you to leave them alone so Sam will start playing and I might get to hear them sing again."

Sam chuckled softly, amused, and glanced after Sara a moment before he looked at Akela again and murmured, "Any requests?"

Akela grinned. "Pass me the guitar, _kumu_."

Sam's eyebrows lifted, surprised but pleased as he passed the guitar over to Akela without any hesitation. "You play?"

"Not as well as you, but I get by," Akela admitted, settling the guitar in his lap and then looking down at it as he began to pick out a melody.

After only a few notes Sam laughed softly, and then a few beats later Akela began to sing. " _Go now, don't look back, we've drawn the line._ "

Puck grinned despite his surprise, taking a seat at the end of the table on the _lanai_ where he could see Sam and Akela easily. He knew the song well, and he knew Sara did, too. He used to sing it to her when she was little and she couldn't sleep, though there was no way Akela could have known that. He hadn't ever really talked with Akela about his sister, other than letting him know she was going to be living with them and that he'd need Akela's help to keep her safe. Puck and Kurt had been too busy to keep in touch with many of their friends or stay a part of the beach crowd that they had hung out with back in high school, but Akela still knew everyone and could put the word out not to mess with Puck's baby sister.

Kurt sat down by Puck with his back to the house, surprised Akela could play _and_ sing, but beaming as he watched him. Akela had a rich voice and could carry a tune well, both singing it and playing, and Kurt wondered why Akela had never shared that with him in the five years they had known each other.

Sara sat next to Kurt, wide-eyed as she watched Akela and wondering how he knew that song. She had never heard it anywhere except for when Noah sang it to her and on the CD Noah had made for her of him singing her favorite songs just a few months before he had to leave her behind.

Sam was oblivious to the audience as he watched Akela play, his gaze never leaving Akela's face as he joined in. " _Move on, it's no good, to go back in time..."_

Akela looked up as they began the second verse, giving Sam a warm smile as they sang together. " _I'll never find another girl like you, for happy endings it takes two. We're fire and ice, the dream won't come true._ "

Sam smiled softly at Akela as they began the chorus, wondering if it could really be so easy to find the right guy after being alone for so long that he had almost given up on the whole idea. " _Sara, Sara, storms are brewing in your eyes."_

Akela's green eyes were sparkling as he gazed into Sam's eyes, enjoying that sweet little smile of Sam's that he had only seen a few times before. " _Sara, Sara, no time is a good time, for goodbyes_."

Sara was beaming as she watched them, both because they were singing what she had always thought of as _her_ song and because of the way Sam and Akela were looking at each other. She still didn't really know Akela, but the more she saw, the more she liked him. If Akela made Sam happy then he would quickly become one of Sara's favorite people, and for much the same reason that Kurt was.

Sara adored anyone who could make her big brothers happy.

 

~*~

 

Sam and Akela were walking slowly along the beach in companionable silence, enjoying the quiet after a long day with family. They hadn't discussed it, but they were both very aware that neither of them wanted the night to end just yet.

They had headed out on a walk east along the rocky shore most of an hour ago, wanting a little time alone before Akela headed home for the night. They had walked all the way to the point and stood on the slight headland there watching the water for a while before they headed back, but they were taking their time. There weren't any other people around and no sounds except for the ocean waves against the rocky shore, almost drowning out the calls of the night birds and insects in the brush and trees on the property that the beach skirted around.

Sam was looking out over the water, enjoying the view of the ocean in the moonlight, but Akela's gaze was steady on Sam's face when he wasn't glancing at the beach to be sure they didn't wander into one of the many clusters of rocks and old coral scattered along the beach. After a long day spent with Sam, Akela had to keep reminding himself not to push his luck by inviting Sam to come home with him. He wanted to, couldn't think of anything he wanted more, in fact, but he didn't want Sam to feel like he was being rushed.

Sam glanced away from the water and caught Akela looking at him, and he smiled as he met Akela's gaze. "What?"

"Just enjoying the view," Akela murmured, smiling.

Sam looked at the ocean again as he said quietly, "It is a beautiful night."

"I hadn't noticed the night," Akela admitted.

Sam looked at him again, hearing that Akela really meant what he said without even having to try. They had talked most of the day and well into the night, and he had already gotten the knack for knowing when Akela was simply being honest and when he was feeding Sam's ego. Akela had mostly stopped the teasing flirtation hours ago and had been more open and honest, letting Sam see more of the man he truly was than even the _'ohana_ was used to, going by the surprise he had seen a few of them show that evening. "So it's my looks that got your attention today, hmm?"

Akela smiled crookedly at Sam. "Not really, but I can't find the words to explain it right, _huapala_ , so don't make me try." He looked at the beach ahead of them, adding softly, "I never could make anyone understand why I was hooked when I met Kurt, either. I just ... I _had_ to know him, and talking to him just made me want to know more. I noticed how beautiful he is when he smiles, of course, and I wanted to get him out of his painted-on jeans, but after I talked to him he could have been homely as a _pua'a_ and I still would have been just as hooked."

Sam reached for Akela's hand, tangling their fingers together while Akela looked at him in surprise. Sam smiled softly as he murmured, "I don't need you to explain it, _makamae_. I think I know exactly how that feels _._ "

Akela tightened his grip on Sam's hand slightly, calm and serious as he looked into Sam's shining eyes and asked very quietly, "It was like that when you met Noah?"

Sam's smile widened. "No, actually, it wasn't. The first thing he ever said to me was to ask me how many balls I could fit into my mouth. I was too busy trying to come up with an answer that wouldn't out me to actually notice much else about him."

Akela blinked and then laughed. "You got to be joking."

Sam shook his head, amused. "No, true fact. He was kind of hung up on my mouth for a while, said it was huge. It was funny later, but at the time I just felt like a freak." He smiled crookedly at Akela. "It took us a while to be friends, and even longer for me to realize I liked him too much. By then I didn't have a prayer."

Akela's eyebrows went up and he asked softly, "The lawyer then?"

Sam laughed. "God no." He looked out over the ocean again. "He was just the only guy who had ever been interested in the lonely little geek who hid out in the back of the library with the computers all the time. I was easy pickings for him when he wanted someone to warm his bed who wouldn't tell anyone. He was older and experienced, and I was willing to do anything for him if he’d keep treating me like I was special to him." He chuckled. "And no, it wasn't Blaine, either."

"Then who, _kumu_?" Akela asked quietly, curious. Sam hadn't mentioned any other guys to him yet, none that mattered anyway.

Sam looked down, lifting Akela's hand slightly as he gazed at the way their hands fit together. Akela's long graceful fingers were wrapped around his own more square hand and fingers, Akela's tanned skin dark in the moonlight against his own winter-pale skin. Their hands looked so different but fit together like puzzle pieces in a way that felt more right to Sam than holding hands had ever felt before. "Well, see, there's this really awesome guy I'm getting to know." He lowered their hands again, lifting his gaze to the beach ahead of them and smiling. "The two best friends I ever had both made a point tonight to tell me they think he's perfect for me, but I was already pretty hooked before they noticed."

"Why?" Akela asked softly.

"I could say it's his body," Sam replied quietly. "He's all tanned muscle with tattoos that make me want to find out if I can feel them with my tongue." He let out a low rumbly purring noise at the thought, not looking at Akela even though he was suddenly smirking, wicked and dirty. "That's totally a project I intend to save for another night, by the way, but yeah. Wanting to _kaunu_ with him wasn't what grabbed my interest, that's just a fringe benefit I hope I get to enjoy sometime soon." He finally looked at Akela again, meeting Akela's gaze as his smirk faded away and he said more seriously, "No, it wasn't anything so simple as looks, or so easy to explain. I just found myself staring into your beautiful green eyes today and wondering if I could ever be enough to make you forget the guy who broke your heart."

"I'll never _forget_ loving him, _huapala,_ " Akela murmured softly, searching Sam's eyes for something he couldn't define even to himself, but after a few moments he smiled. "I think maybe I'm finally ready for a new dream, though."

Sam gave Akela's hand a squeeze. "I'll let you be in my dreams, if I can be in yours."

Akela's smile widened. "I like the sound of that."

"Mm, good," Sam murmured as he stopped suddenly, pulling Akela to a stop. " _Honi kaua_ , _makamae._ "

Akela grinned, moving closer to stand right in front of Sam as he teased softly, "Mostly I don't take orders too well, but how can I say no to you when you have such a good idea?"

"Why say anything?" Sam murmured, smirking. "Just shut up and kiss me, like I said."

Akela laughed and obeyed.

It was what he wanted to do anyway.

 

~*~

 

The McGarrett house was the last one on the road, which ended abruptly just past the driveway on the edge of several acres of land gone wild after years of neglect. The thick tangle of scrub brush, vines, and old-growth fruit trees and bushes that covered the point to the east of the McGarrett house was owned by an old man who lived with his son on a more productive piece of the family's land near Kekaha on Kaua'i. The tract of land next to the McGarrett home, which covered several acres, had been untouched for the most part since the house burned down ten years ago and it was overgrown and wild as few beachfront areas near Kailua were these days. Many people had offered to buy it from the old man, including Steve, but he had always refused because it had been in his family for four generations. The only compromise he had offered to Steve, who he had known all his life, was to put a note in his will asking his family to give Steve first refusal if they sold it after his death.

The only part of the property that was maintained in any way was a winding foot path through the brush that led from the beach through the trees to emerge behind a tangle of guava bushes near the end of the road. Nobody used the path except for a few locals who knew that the fishing was good around the point of land that was hidden by the wild tangle of greenery that covered the rocky stretch of ground between the McGarrett home and the old fire road on the far side of the point, which was just how the _'ohana_ liked it. Local tradition held that if a car was already parked at the end of the road when you got there it wasn't your day to fish the point, so there was seldom anyone out there fishing. The _'ohana_ was large enough to overflow the McGarrett driveway these days so there were usually one or two cars parked at the end of the road on a weekend.

It was so late that most of the _'ohana_ had gone home by the time Akela finally led Sam around the guava bushes to the road, and Akela's car was the only vehicle in sight, parked in his usual spot across the road from the path. Their shoulders were touching as they walked together towards Akela's dark green Chevelle, holding hands again even though Akela hadn't really done that with anyone since high school. Usually having someone hanging onto his hand just made Akela want to get away, but for some reason it felt right with Sam, and Sam obviously enjoyed it so Akela was just going with it.

Akela had been sure he wanted to know Sam better even before he showed up that morning to join the _'ohana_ for the day, that had been why he came so early, but after spending the day and half the night with Sam he was feeling blessed to have been there. He used to scoff at Kailona's starry-eyed rambles about how she knew by the end of their first date that she and Martin were meant to be together, but that night Akela was finally starting to believe it really could happen that way. He had never felt so thoroughly captivated by anyone so quickly before, not even Kurt, which would have worried him a lot more if it weren't for the fact Sam obviously felt just as attracted Akela did. It didn't make sense, but Akela was too fascinated by Sam to fight it.

Akela was grateful for the first time in a long time for that day that seemed like a lifetime ago when a slim blue-eyed boy new to Kailua High had caught his eye with a pair of fuck me boots and black jeans so tight they showed every curve of his perfect little ass. Akela's interest in Kurt had begun as a physical thing but it hadn't taken long for him to care about much more than Kurt's beautiful body. The strength of his feelings had scared him enough back then that he refused to do as Kurt asked and give up other people for him, but he had finally decided he was ready to do that while Kurt was out of town for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Akela had planned to welcome Kurt back with a kiss and a promise to be faithful, but instead Puck had followed Kurt back home to Kailua and Akela's heart had been shattered.

The way Kurt and Puck looked at each other had left Akela with no doubt even that first morning that Kurt had already found his _kane i ka 'ili_ , and every minute spent with him afterwards had just driven home the fact that it was never going to be him. Akela had spent the next two years trying to find someone else to capture his interest like Kurt did, but no matter how many warm and willing bodies he might try to lose himself in, it was always just _kaunu waha_ , leaving him feeling more alone than ever. He had finally given up on finding anything real again and stopped dating at all, hooking up with strangers when he wanted to get laid and trying to hide his loneliness from his _'ohana_ because they thought he was still pining for someone else's husband, even though that wasn't the real reason he was so alone.

Akela _did_ love Kurt, he was sure he always would, but the desire had faded away years ago and he wouldn't have taken Kurt from Puck even if he thought he could. It hurt to watch Kurt with his _kane i ka ‘ili_ some days, yes, but on those days it was just as difficult to watch Steve and Danny together, and for the same reason. Sometimes it was pure torture for Akela to watch _any_ couple that was truly in love, which made spending time with the _'ohana_ a sort of exquisite torture, but he was so achingly lonely that he couldn't make himself stay away. The time Akela spent with the _'ohana_ was the only time he didn't feel so alone these days, even though he also had to watch people with the _kipona aloha_ he so desperately wanted for himself and couldn't seem to find. He had even tried leaving Oahu to look for a new life on another island a few times, but it never took very long for his heart to pull him home again and so Akela was still there, forever on the outside looking in at the warm fires of love his _'ohana_ of choice had built for themselves.

Tonight, though, it finally all made sense to him.

 _Akua_ had meant for Akela to wait for Sam, and made certain Akela learned to appreciate what Sam was offering him before they really spoke so that he would value it like he should.

"Penny for your thoughts," Sam asked suddenly just before they reached Akela's car, making Akela look at him in surprise. "You seem miles away," Sam explained, calm and smiling. He had let the silence stretch on as they headed towards the road, but they were out of room to walk and he wanted to know what had put that slightly surprised look on Akela's face.

"I was just thinking about why I'm still here, _kumu_ ," Akela murmured, stopping next to the Chevelle. "I've wondered before, but now I think I finally understand." Sam looked curious so Akela explained softly, "I know that the _'ohana_ thinks I stick around because I'm in love with Kurt, but that hasn't really been true for years. I love him, I always will, but I accepted years ago that he's my _hoapili_ , not my _ipo_." Akela's smile went a bit crooked. "No, I'm still here because every time I tried to leave, something down deep told me to stay and wait a little longer."

"And now you figured out why?" Sam asked, still looking curious.

"Yes, I think so," Akela replied quietly, smiling softly at Sam. " _Akua_ wanted me to wait for the time to be right to know you."

Sam felt a warm rush of something he wasn't going to try to define just yet, smiling soft and sweet at Akela as he whispered, " _Mahalo e ke Akua_."

" _'Amene_." Akela gazed into Sam's eyes for a moment, enjoying the way they sparkled in the moonlight, and then he lifted his free hand to tug the elastic band out of Sam's hair. "Tonight I'll go home alone, _ku'u kumu_ , but soon I want to show you my place up on the north shore." He ran his fingers through Sam's hair, enjoying the silky texture and brushing it back from Sam's face as he smiled softly. "I stay sometimes in the house near here that my parents gave me when they left the island, but my surf shack, it's really where I feel at home."

Sam moved his hands to Akela's hips, still smiling as he moved a little closer, his body touching Akela's from chest to knees. "I'd like that, _makamae_ , very much."

"Soon then," Akela murmured. He tucked the band he'd taken from Sam's hair into Sam's pocket as he kissed Sam softly, savoring the moment. He was quickly becoming addicted to the taste of Sam's lips and the feel of Sam's muscular body pressed so close against his own, but he didn't push for anything more than what Sam was offering to him so freely. He wasn't used to waiting for sex, not when he really wanted someone, but for Sam he was willing to wait. He wanted the feelings that they had for each other to keep growing stronger and he was sure that rushing Sam into sex was the wrong way to encourage that. He didn't think he would be waiting for very long, though. Sam seemed to want more almost as badly as he did, he just wasn't quite to the point he felt safe going for it.

Sam let Akela keep control of the kiss this time, remembering how he had forgotten himself on the beach. The slightest brush of Akela's lips against his had made him want more, and when Akela followed it up with a real kiss it had led to more kisses that made Sam forget all the reasons not to pin Akela down and explore that perfect body. They had ended up sprawled in the sand, making out while the moon rose high overhead, and Sam was sure that it wouldn't have stopped at just kissing if not for how uncomfortable the beach was underneath them. They had both gotten more than a few uncomfortable pokes from sharp bits of rock, shell, and even coral buried in the sand, and trying for anything more would have surely ended with them both regretting it afterwards with sharp bits of who knows what in painful places.

Akela finally pulled away after a few minutes, looking into Sam's eyes again as he said quietly, "If I don't go soon, I won't go at all." He kissed Sam again, cutting off anything Sam might have said in reply, then smiled at him as he whispered, "I want you like I want to breathe."

"I feel the same way." Sam kissed Akela again, deepening the kiss further than Akela had and enjoying the low noise Akela made as he he pulled away. "I'll be thinking about you, _makamae_."

"And I you," Akela agreed as he stroked his fingers through Sam's soft golden hair one more time, enjoying the way Sam leaned into his touch. "I hope your dreams are good tonight, _huapala_."

"I'm sure they will be," Sam agreed, smiling as he finally made himself step back away from Akela. "Drive safely."

"Promise," Akela agreed. "It's not far to my place here in Kailua, and there won't be any traffic so late. I'll be fine."

"Good," Sam murmured, smiling wider. "When should we expect you tomorrow?" Akela's plan to wait and show up after Puck got off of work had been vetoed hours ago because the girls kept asking if Akela could spend the day with them, but they hadn't yet discussed just when he would get there.

"I'll bring breakfast." Akela made himself move to his Chevelle and open the driver's door, then looked at Sam again. "Do you want to sleep in?"

"I'll be up with the sun. I always am when I sleep on the beach," Sam replied, smiling.

Akela grinned. "Nice." He got into the car and closed the door, laying his arm in the open window as he looked up at Sam and said quietly, " _Aloha ahiahi_."

" _Aloha ahiahi_ , _makamae_." Sam moved over to the Chevelle and leaned down into the window to kiss Akela slow and dirty, earning a low groan from Akela, then Sam pulled away and grinned at him. "Wear a real shirt tomorrow or I might be tempted to have you for breakfast."

Akela smirked and started his car, enjoying the way the Chevelle rumbled to life. "As threats go, that one's not very scary."

Sam laughed and stepped back a few feet, sure that the Chevelle had been a project for either Kurt or Burt at some point, maybe both. It sounded enough like Kurt's beloved Mustang that if he couldn't see it he wouldn't have known it was a Chevelle, and it had been lovingly restored to mint condition. "We'll be going somewhere tomorrow, I'm sure. Don't they have 'no shirt, no shoes, no service' rules here?"

"Nope," Akela said, smirking. "I'll wear real clothes just for you, though."

"Wear them for Sara and Gracie," Sam corrected, smiling. "Don't forget we'll have two teenaged girls with us all day."

Akela laughed. "Right. I'll be on my best behavior." He put the Chevelle into reverse and started it moving, sure that if he didn't do it soon he'd think of some excuse to stay. "Dream about me."

"Only if I can be in yours," Sam replied, his gaze never leaving Akela as he moved to watch him back the Chevelle around into the _'ohana's_ driveway.

"Deal," Akela agreed, green eyes sparkling and wicked even in the moonlight. "Clothing completely optional."

Sam laughed. "Definitely."

Akela lifted his free hand to his lips and blew Sam a kiss, smirking, then started the car towards town. "See you soon, _ku'u ipo_."

"You know where to find me," Sam agreed, watching Akela go with a pleased smile.

Akela raised a hand to wave as he drove away, and Sam waved back, then turned to walk up the driveway towards the path that led around the house to the back yard, completely unaware of the wide goofy smile spreading over his face.

 

~*~

 

After the family's usual morning swim, Kurt, Puck, Steve, and Danny disappeared back into the house to get ready for work and head out for the day, but Grace and Sara joined Sam in the hammock to curl up with him. Getting up at the crack of dawn to swim with the family was all fine and dandy, even fun, but they had nowhere they had to be and after their swim they were tired enough that going back to bed easily won out over doing anything useful. They ended up sprawled sideways in the hammock with Sam in the middle and the light quilt he usually slept with draped over them, and all three of them were sound asleep by the time the others were ready for work.

The Mustang and the Camaro were both gone when Akela pulled into the McGarrett driveway around seven-thirty, so he parked near the front door instead of his usual spot out on the road or behind Steve's big Silverado truck. He had decided to drive his convertible that morning because it was supposed to be a beautiful day to tool around with the top down, and he thought the girls would get a kick out of the car. It was a mid-seventies model four-door VW Beetle, bright red with a tan leather interior, and Akela's uncle had pampered the car so much before Akela inherited it that it was still in mint condition. Akela loved the car, which his favorite uncle had christened 'the Bug' the day he got it, almost as much as he loved the classic Chevelle that Kurt and Puck had helped him rebuild during their senior year of high school.

Akela got out of the Bug and headed for the narrow crushed shell path around the side of the house with two large drinks, one coffee and the other a juice blend he loved that he hoped Sam might enjoy. He didn't bother to go inside because he knew Sam had been sleeping out on the hammock and he was hoping he might get a little while alone with him before the girls woke up. He had considered getting breakfast for them all when he stopped at Cinnamon's, but he had no clue what the others might like for breakfast so he had decided to just get something to drink and take them back to Cinnamon's later. It would be crowded, but he had reserved a table when he got the drinks and they had plenty of time to get back there by nine, and then everyone could get what they wanted.

Akela had to stifle a laugh when he got around the house and saw the hammock, walking towards it with a smirk even though he knew a nice long good morning kiss wasn't likely to happen. Sam was sprawled in the middle of the hammock with Sara curled up by him on one side with her head on his shoulder and Grace in the same position on the other side, all three of them asleep under a thin old pink and white quilt. From the look of Sam's bare shoulders he was wearing nothing but his shorts, which made Akela wish that the quilt wasn't pulled up so high. He already knew Sam had a beautiful body, he had seen him shirtless the day before, but that didn't mean he didn't want to see it again as often as possible.

Akela walked over to stand by the hammock, his smirk fading into a soft smile as he took advantage of a chance to just look at Sam. Sam's dark blond hair was loose and fell against his cheek, mingling with Sara's darker wavy hair near where Sam's jaw rested against the top of her head, and he was smiling slightly even in his sleep, obviously at peace. His shoulders were bare and already starting to show a pale gold tan, which made Akela wonder how Sam would look after a few weeks in Kailua instead of just a few days. Sam was entirely edible as he was but Akela had worried a bit the day before that Sam would end up sunburned, so it was a welcome surprise to see Sam's skin had turned a pale golden color instead of scalded-red as he'd half expected.

Sam and the girls were obviously very comfortable with each other even in their sleep, and Akela wished for a moment that he could join them and forget about everything but relaxing with Sam and his _ho'opoki'i_. It had been a long time since Akela had done anything similar, and he missed the simple pleasure of just relaxing and holding someone who loved him. His own little sisters had left Kailua with his parents early in his senior year when his father's job moved, and he didn't get to see them as often as he would like. His parents hadn't really understood why he refused to leave Kailua with the family then, and every time he had chosen to stay and spend a holiday with Kurt's _'ohana_ , which welcomed him so freely, his parents had gotten a little more distant. These days he talked to his littlest sister about once a week, and sometimes his father if his dad had time, but the rest of the family seldom had anything to say to him unless they needed him to do something for them.

Akela was so intent on gazing at Sam that he didn't notice when Sara's nose twitched slightly or when her eyes opened, so it surprised him when she murmured, "Is that coffee I smell?"

Akela smiled at Sara despite his surprise as he replied softly, "Yes, it's the Kona blend from Cinnamon's."

Sam opened his eyes, a little surprised to see Akela standing by the hammock with two large take-out cups, one with a straw. Akela was wearing cargo shorts and an obviously custom t-shirt that had two surfboards stuck in the sand by a truck that looked just like Akela's battered Toyota, and had pulled his long hair back into a ponytail, his sunglasses on top of his head. His hair was a bit damp, and Sam had to really fight himself not to start thinking about what Akela had looked like in the shower. Akela wasn't shy about his body, and Sam had seen enough to know just how badly he'd like to explore the rest.

Sam decided the best way to distract himself from the idea of Akela naked and wet was to start talking. " _Aloha, makamae_."

" _Aloha, ku'u ipo_ ," Akela replied as he looked at Sam, enjoying that sweet smile Sam was giving him and the warm look in Sam's eyes. "Enjoying yourself, all curled up with two pretty little _wahines_?"

Sam smiled a bit wider, pleased that Akela was there so early. They would have the girls with them all day, but Sam didn't care what they ended up doing as long as he got to spend the day with Akela again. "I am pretty comfy, now that you mention it."

Sara giggled and squirmed around in the hammock next to Sam to sit up more, pushing the quilt down to reveal most of Sam's chest and the top half of her one-piece swimsuit as she looked hopefully at Akela. "Was one of those coffees for Sam?"

Akela smiled at Sara. "Only one is coffee, but yes, _poki'i_. I thought he might like it."

"Good! Sam doesn't drink coffee," Sara said, grinning. "Can I have it?"

"If he doesn't want it, sure," Akela agreed, looking at Sam.

"I only drink coffee if it's doctored up enough that I can't tell it's coffee," Sam admitted, amused.

Akela laughed and passed the coffee to Sara, who opened the lid and then inhaled with a happy smile. "You'll have to share it with Gracie if she wants some, though. I didn't think you girls would be up yet or I would have brought more."

"I don't drink coffee either," Grace murmured as she finally opened her eyes, looking amused. "Not unless it's in something yummy like a salted caramel mocha with extra chocolate and double toffee syrup."

Akela grinned at Grace. "That's not coffee, _poki'i_ , that's a sugar rush in a cup."

"Tastes much better than coffee," Grace pointed out with an impish grin.

"I gotta agree there," Sam said, amused. "Put enough sugar and chocolate in anything and it's drinkable." He nodded towards the cup Akela was holding. "What's in that one?"

"It's pineapple-orange juice," Akela replied, smirking at the way Sam brightened up and shifted to free the arm that had been around Sara. "I thought if the coffee wasn't your speed, the juice would be."

"You thought right," Sam agreed, reaching for the cup with a grin. "Pass it over."

Akela snickered and passed Sam the juice, teasing, "Not even gonna offer any to Gracie, huh?"

"Grace can have some if she wants," Sam said, then he took a slow savoring swallow of the juice and hummed happily. "I want some first though."

Grace giggled and shoved the quilt over onto Sam's lap, then climbed out of the hammock as she said, "Grace knows where the fruit _and_ the blender is, and can make a smoothie for myself." She grinned impishly, tugging at her one-piece green swimsuit to straighten where it had ridden up on one hip. "With strawberries and a banana, and maybe some chocolate. You can keep yours."

"That works for me, Monkey-girl," Sam agreed, chuckling slightly as he took another sip of the juice.

Sara pushed the quilt off of her legs towards Sam and climbed out of the hammock too, careful of her coffee as she said, "I'll go with you, Grace. I'm starving."

"There'll be something waiting for us," Grace said quickly, grinning at Sara before she headed towards the house. "There always is when Dad lets me stay here while I'm off school."

Sara was smiling happily and as she walked with Grace towards the house. "Noah's been making breakfast for us before he goes to work. Friday there was fresh biscuits with a brown sugar and cinnamon butter spread for them. It was _awesome_."

"Ooh, I love when Noah makes biscuits!" Grace said quickly, beaming. She had been staying with her mother for the last week, spending time with her before Rachel took Stan and Charlie to England for the holidays. Grace hadn't actually seen much of her mother, but she had agreed to the week anyway to avoid her mother trying to get her to go to England. "You lucked out, we usually only get them on weekends. He must not have gone with everyone else for the morning swim."

Sara and Grace disappeared into the house before Sara replied, but Sam knew what she'd say. Puck had skipped his swim on Wednesday and Thursday too so he could make a good breakfast for Sara before he had to get ready for work.

Sam shoved the quilt off of his lap to his right, then switched his juice to his right hand and looked up at Akela as he smiled and patted the hammock next to him on the left side. "Have a seat, _makamae_."

Akela tried not to be obvious about eyeing Sam's body as he moved to sit next to Sam, pleased even though he asked quietly, "You going to leave them to their own devices?" Sam's swim trunks that morning were much shorter than the board shorts Akela had seen him wear the day before, and Akela was enjoying the view of all the pale, toned muscle Sam had on display. He was sure that Sam worked out in some way to look so good, even though he hadn't thought most gamers would bother with that kind of thing.

Sam shifted closer to Akela to settle comfortably against his side, smiling wider when Akela put an arm around him. "I had a job at their age working nights at a pizza place, and most days I had school or two little kids to take care of while my mom worked," Sam said dryly. "Between the two of them, I think they can handle making a smoothie without me."

Akela chuckled softly. " _'_ _Oia_ , when you put it that way, they surely can." He smiled crookedly at Sam, watching him take another drink of the juice before he said quietly, "I had thought we'd go out for breakfast, though."

Sam smirked. "Yeah, that's what I told Puck. There's no breakfast waiting for them, but looking for it will keep them busy a few minutes until they find his note."

Akela grinned. "Tricky."

"They outnumber me, it's the only way I might win," Sam agreed softly, still smirking. "Now that I got the peanut gallery out of sight, do I get a good morning kiss?"

Akela's grin turned a little wicked, his green eyes warm and sparkling. " _'Ae_ , if you want me to kiss you."

Sam leaned towards Akela a bit more as he murmured, " _Nui loa_ , _makamae_. _Mai e honi kaua._ "

Akela didn't hesitate, turning more towards Sam on the hammock and kissing him slowly and lovingly, moving one hand to rest on Sam's neck just below his jaw. Sam hummed softly into the kiss and moved his free hand around to Akela's back to urge him closer, wishing both of his hands were free but not wanting to drop his drink. Akela tilted his head for a better angle to deepen the kiss and Sam let out a soft little noise as he responded, his lips parting wider to give Akela more access. Akela's kisses were addictive and could make Sam forget everything else, making him feel like he was the only thing that mattered to Akela at that moment.

Akela was the one to pull away after a few minutes, looking into Sam's eyes as they both tried to catch their breath. The look in his eyes made Sam feel warm and wanted and something more, and Sam didn't stop to reconsider before he whispered softly, "I think I could spend the rest of my life doing that."

Akela just gazed into Sam's shining eyes a moment longer before he admitted very quietly, "I'm glad, _ku'u ipo._ I can't imagine not wanting to kiss you again."

"Feel free," Sam murmured. "Like I said, I want very much for you to kiss me, darlin'."

Akela smiled, pleased that Sam had really understood what he was saying, and he leaned closer until their lips were nearly touching before he whispered, "I'll remember that."

"Good," Sam whispered with a sudden grin, then kissed him again.

Akela responded immediately, enjoying the way Sam didn't hesitate to match him, letting Akela take the lead sometimes but never actually submitting to him at all. Akela had never kissed anyone who made him want more so desperately except for Kurt, but kissing Kurt had been very different and looking back Akela finally realized that it would never have lasted between them even if Kurt had forgotten Puck. Akela wanted so much more than just kisses when he kissed Sam, but at the same time he was sure that he could spend forever kissing Sam and never tire of it. Kissing Kurt had always made Akela feel protective and want to show Kurt all the ways he could make him feel good, but spending forever just kissing him had never really entered his mind.

Akela heard a soft giggle after a few minutes and grinned, biting gently at Sam's lower lip and earning a low noise before he pulled away to murmur, "We have an audience again."

Sam smiled, amused and wry. "We'll have them all day." He licked his reddened lips slowly, enjoying the way Akela tracked the movement with a hungry look in his eyes, then murmured, "But tonight will be ours, _makamae_."

"I'm liking the sound of that, _ku'u ipo_ ," Akela murmured with a wicked little grin that left no doubt what he was thinking.

"So am I," Sam agreed with a little smirk. "Someone promised to show me his surf shack."

"I'll show you anything you want when I get you alone tonight," Akela promised, then kissed Sam hard and fast, earning a low growl that made him smirk as he pulled away. "Come on, you three need to get dressed for the day. We have reservations for nine."

Akela climbed off of the hammock and then offered Sam his hand to help him up. Sam took it, looking a little surprised as he repeated, "Reservations?"

"The really good breakfast places are packed all morning, even on a weekday," Akela explained, pulling Sam up off the hammock and tugging him close. "Cinnamon's has the best pancakes in Kailua, so I told them to hold a table for me around nine. I wanted to be sure we could get in before lunchtime."

"I didn't know they take reservations," Sam admitted, amused. "I usually just wait in line if I go there when I'm in town." He let out a little laugh. "Which is why I don't really go there."

"Lines are no fun, _kumu_ ," Akela said, grinning impishly as he kissed Sam lightly and then started towards the _lanai_.

Sara and Grace were sitting at the table with their drinks, watching them with almost identical grins. Akela hadn't really noticed it the day before, but sitting there side-by-side he realized that Sara and Grace could probably pass as sisters if they tried. Akela knew a lot of people with siblings who didn't resemble them much at all, but Grace and Sara were surprisingly alike. They were both about the same height even though Grace was almost a year younger, and Sara's hazel eyes were very like Grace's brown ones. Their hair was even starting to look similar now that Sara was spending time in the sun, her dark brown hair already showing more auburn highlights that made it look more like Grace's sun-brightened dark blond hair.

"Time to get a move on, _kama ali'i wahines_ ," Akela said with a smile for the girls.

"What does that mean?" Sara asked, curious.

"Princesses," Akela replied, amused. "Time to get dressed, we're going out to breakfast and then we'll wing it from there."

Sara stood with her coffee, pleased and grinning. "You'll be with us all day?"

Akela nodded, amused. "That's the plan, _poki'i_."

"Awesome!" Sara said quickly, beaming. "Sam will love that, he's crazy about you."

Grace giggled and nodded, standing up. "He was asking about you last time he was here. I think he was disappointed you were gone to help your uncle."

Akela looked at Sam, surprised, and Sam barely managed not to laugh. "I told you yesterday, _makamae_. You didn't seem to notice _me_ when we met, but I definitely noticed you."

"I wasn't sure if you'd be back," Akela admitted with a wry look. "Kurt was so sure we'd hit it off that I didn't want to risk getting attached."

"I'm going to start looking for a place near the beach," Sam said quietly, smiling at Akela. "I've got a reason to stay now."

Akela smiled, pleased. "I might know someone with a place right on the sand who'd love to have you stay with him, _ku'u ipo_."

Sam smiled warmly at Akela and murmured, "We'll have to talk more about that soon." He looked at the girls, blushing slightly at the way they were smirking. "Go get dressed! We're leaving in fifteen minutes."

Sara was grinning ear-to-ear as she hurried inside. "Dibs on the big bathroom!"

"I'm getting dressed in my room anyway," Grace said, laughing as she moved to follow Sara.

"Sam doesn't, though," Sara pointed out, grinning. "And I left my makeup in there."

Sam laughed. "Get upstairs, both of you. And Sara, make sure you take your sunscreen, you'll need it. Thirteen minutes and we leave with or without your makeup."

"We're going!" Grace agreed, laughing as she ran to the stairs with Sara right behind her.

Akela stood by Sam, watching them go, then looked at Sam again, smiling. "Not that I don't enjoy the shorts and a smile look, _ku'u ipo_ , but shouldn't you go up and find some clothes too?"

"My stuff is in the den," Sam replied, amused. "Steve emptied a cabinet in there for me last time I was here." He walked through the kitchen towards the dining room and small den that were hardly ever used, very aware of Akela following him. "What's the plan for today?"

"No idea, past breakfast," Akela replied, enjoying the play of muscles in Sam's back as he walked and how low on his hips the shorts he was wearing were riding. The shorts didn't leave a whole lot to the imagination, and Akela was smirking as he added a bit absently, "I want to spend the day with you, but I'm easy."

Sam suddenly turned around and Akela found himself face-to face with Sam, who was smirking as he lifted his free hand to Akela's jaw and murmured, "I'll remember you said that, _makamae_." He surprised Akela with a passionate kiss then, keeping control of the kiss from the start while Akela held on to Sam's hips and tried not to embarrass himself. Sam licked and then nipped gently at Akela's lower lip and then he began exploring Akela's mouth, slowly driving him crazy until Akela was making soft hungry noises. Sam pulled away as suddenly as he had kissed him, smirking at the hunger and surprise in Akela's eyes as he stepped back and offered him the take-out cup still half-full of juice. "Take this and go wait in the living room. I'll be there in a minute."

Akela laughed softly and accepted the cup, still breathing hard. "After that I don't even get to watch?"

"Not this time," Sam replied, grinning impishly. "Your chances are looking good for tomorrow morning, though."

"Nice," Akela murmured, smirking wickedly. "Do I get to undress you tonight too, _ku'u ipo ahi_?"

"It is more fun that way," Sam pointed out with a little smirk, then gave Akela a little push. "Go."

Akela did as he was told, smirking and thinking that he'd have to find out what the date was later. It was starting to look like it might be a day he'd need to remember.

 

~*~

 

Sam relaxed next to Akela in a booth in the back corner of the crowded restaurant, watching while Akela talked with Grace and Sara, who were still trying to decide on their lunch order. Both of the girls wanted to try several different things so Akela had suggested they should get a few dishes to share, but they hadn't agreed yet on what to try.

Sam had quickly decided on what he wanted, and then a glimpse of the upper edge of a bite mark on the back of Akela's shoulder was enough to distract him pretty thoroughly from the conversation about food. He was soon smirking slightly, glad the girls were on the other side of the table and ignoring the conversation completely as he remembered how that bite had gotten on Akela's back.

It had been a beautiful morning to get out and drive, so they had headed out in the Bug after breakfast with the top down and the stereo on. They had all been singing along to the music on the radio and enjoying the beautiful scenery on the way to Akela's favorite beach, and Sam honestly could have had a great day just driving around, but Akela had other ideas. Akela had eventually parked the Bug behind a run-down shack where he paid an old man ten bucks to watch it for him, and then Akela had led them into the woods on a nice long walk past several tiny meadows of bright green grass scattered through an area of rain forest that grew more dense as they went until they suddenly emerged at the edge of a beach.

The view had been breathtaking, the water crystal clear and vividly blue-green against the pale sand of the beach, and Sam and the girls had just stared for a few minutes before Sam finally looked at Akela and caught Akela watching him with a loving smile. The girls had gone for a walk on the beach soon afterwards, wanting to explore that seemingly untouched part of the island, but Sam and Akela had taken a seat on the sand near the faint path that had led them there. Sam and Akela had talked quietly for a little while, but talking had led to kissing, and that had led to them disappearing into the trees to find a little privacy. Akela had been prepared in more ways than one, and when he asked Sam if he wanted to _kaunu_ , there had been exactly zero chance Sam was going to say no.

By the time the girls had tired of walking on the beach and returned to find them, Sam and Akela were sprawled in the shade at the edge of the beach, sleeping peacefully together under a gnarled old mango tree. The giggling of the girls had woken them up, and Sam still wasn't least bit sorry for how he and Akela had passed the time even after Sara started teasing him about wearing the wrong shirt. Akela had tossed his t-shirt to Sam when they got dressed again after they had sex in a little glade not far from the beach, and Sam had put it on without protest even though he knew the girls would never let it pass by without remarking on it. Sam's dark green tank top left Akela's muscular tattooed shoulders bare, and Sam liked the view enough to tolerate the knowing smirks the girls kept giving him on their way back to the Bug.

Akela turned to look at Sam and nearly laughed at the look in Sam's eyes, leaving little doubt what Sam was thinking about. He leaned to kiss Sam, humming softly and lingering for a few moments when Sam deepened the kiss, then finally pulled away to grin at him. "You decide how hungry you are yet, _ku'u ipo ahi_?"

"Very," Sam replied with a little answering grin, "but what I want isn't on the menu here."

Akela smirked. "Right now stick to the menu. The girls are starving, and so am I." His smirk turned a bit wicked as he added, "Someone helped me work up an appetite."

Sam's grin widened. "I'm kinda starving too, now that you mention it."

"Flirt later, Sam," Sara said suddenly, grinning as Sam looked at her in surprise. "You need to order, and it's not like Akela's going anywhere." She had decided she really liked Akela, both because he was a nice guy and because she loved seeing how Sam lit up anytime Akela smiled at him. She was very sure they were falling for each other pretty hard, and she couldn't have been happier about it. Akela had Sam talking about staying in Kailua, not just for a semester but for good, which couldn't be anything but awesome as far as Sara was concerned. The only thing that could be better than living in Hawai'i with Noah, at least in her mind, was living there with Noah _and_ Sam.

Grace was grinning too as she added teasingly, "Danno says making a waitress wait on your order is rude, Sam." She had always adored Akela, who treated her like she was his own little sister, and she thought Sam was perfect for him. They had both been alone for too long, the whole family had agreed on that after Akela and Sam headed off down the beach the night before, so it was almost too good to be true for them to be falling for each other like they were.

Sam realized finally that the pretty young waitress who had brought their drinks and menus was standing patiently by the table, watching him and Akela with a smirk. "Don't mind me, honey," she said quickly. "I enjoyed that kiss almost as much as you did. Feel free to do it again."

Sam let out a little laugh, blushing as he looked at Akela. "Did you already order?"

Akela was still smirking as he nodded and Sara said helpfully, "We all did, but when she asked you for your order, you were _way_ off in lala land."

Sam looked at the waitress, sheepish and still blushing. "Sorry. Too much sun I guess."

"Or not enough of something else," the waitress said knowingly, making Sam blush even redder while Sara and Grace both giggled. The waitress smirked, asking, "What would you like to eat, honey?"

Sam was glad he remembered what he had decided on so he wouldn't have to look at the menu again. "A mixed plate with kalbi and teriyaki beef, rice, no mac salad, and an order of fried shrimp."

"Okay honey," the waitress replied quickly, smiling. "In place of the mac salad would you like more rice, our tossed green salad, or some fries?"

"Salad, please," Sam said quickly, pleased. "With ranch on the side if you have it."

"Got it!" the waitress said cheerfully, smiling at them all. "It shouldn't take long." She walked quickly away before they could say anything.

Akela reached for his drink, looking a little smug as he said teasingly, "I won't ask what you were thinking about, _ku'u ipo ahi._ "

Sam let out a soft little laugh. "Good plan, _milinanea._ "

Akela looked at Sam quickly, surprised, and stared into Sam's eyes a moment before he smirked slightly. " _'Ae_ , wouldn't want to have to explain it to the _poki'i_."

Sam snickered even though he could feel his face heating up again at the very idea. "Danny would murder us."

" _'Oia'i'o_ ," Grace agreed, giggling.

Sam looked at Grace, surprised. "You speak Hawaiian, Gracie?"

Grace tried to look innocent. " _Ua maopopo ia'u iki_."

Akela laughed softly. "More than a little, _poki'i_."

Sara grinned and elbowed Grace gently. "Spill. What did that word that surprised 'Kela so much mean?"

Grace grinned at Sara. "We learned _milinanea_ while we were studying traditional Hawaiian love songs. It means 'one who delights and amazes me'."

"Close enough," Sam agreed, looking at Akela. "Right?"

" _'Ae_ ," Akela said, giving Sam an amused look, then he looked at Grace. " _Keko_ , your _makuakane_ will kill us all if he finds out you understand some of what we've said in front of you."

Grace giggled. "Daddy would have fits if he knew I understood some of what _he_ says in front of me. Sometimes he and Steve use Hawaiian words now when they don't want me to know what they're saying." She grinned impishly. "Super-Steve knows I can understand some Hawaiian because he used to help me study, but he hasn't told Danno just how much."

"Lucky for us," Sam said with a quiet laugh.

"Very," Akela agreed, giving Sam an amused look. "He already thinks I'm too wild to be trusted with his _kama lei_ unless there's a 'real' adult along to keep us both out of trouble." He smirked at Sam. "Evidently you qualify."

"Danno thinks I'm _five_ , not fifteen," Grace pointed out then, still grinning. "Sometimes he thinks _Steve_ is too wild to be trusted with me, and Daddy _married_ him." She giggled, adding, "After he made Super-Steve wait for a few years."

Akela grinned at Grace. "I've noticed."

"I'm going to have to learn Hawaiian," Sara said suddenly, making them all look at her. She looked wry and a bit amused as she went on, "If all three of you are talking it, I won't know what's going on half the time if I don't."

Grace giggled and wrapped an arm around Sara in a quick hug, giving her a reassuring little grin. "Don't worry, _kua'ana_ , I'll translate. Just ask."

"Okay," Sara agreed, amused. "What does _kua'ana_ mean?"

"Older sibling or cousin of the same sex," Grace replied promptly, smiling. "A brother or male cousin of a girl is _kunane_ , and a younger sister of a girl is _kaina_. All of them can have _kai-_ in front, like _kaikua'ana_ instead of _kua'ana_ , but I'm not really sure why." She looked questioningly at Akela.

"Because they can, _Keko_ ," Akela said, making Grace and Sara both giggle.

" _I_ know," Sam said dryly, making Akela look at him in surprise. " _Kaikua'ana_ is more formal but _kua'ana_ is the affectionate form, like sister and sis."

Akela grinned and murmured to Sam, "I love that you bothered to learn that, _huapala_."

"And _ku'u ipo, huapala,_ and _makamae_?" Sara asked, curious enough not to quit asking translations yet.

" _Ku'u ipo_ is 'my sweetheart', but for someone you're dating, not just friends or relatives," Grace said with a soft laugh. "Elvis did a song called ' _Ku'u Ipo_ ' that Noah plays sometimes, it always makes Kurt laugh." She grinned. " _Huapala_ is handsome sweetheart, and _makamae_ means _darling_."

Sara smirked, looking at Sam. "You work fast."

Sam laughed, trying to ignore how his cheeks were heating up. "It's not like he's a stranger I really just met yesterday! I've been listening to Kurt and Puck talk about Akela for _five years_ , and I've known him almost that long myself."

Akela nudged Sam's shoulder gently with his own, smiling at him as he said, "I've been meaning to ask, _kumu._ Every time we met before this, it always seemed to be just before you left Kailua. Why is that?"

"Because _you're_ a workaholic," Sam replied immediately, amused. "I kind of thought you were avoiding me, to be honest. I didn't hide, and I know Puck invited you over every time, I heard him do it more than once."

" _'Ae_ , he did," Akela agreed, bemused. "He didn't tell me how amazing the _hoapili_ who watched over his baby sister for him was though, and he made sure I knew you were taken until your last visit, after that _kamipulu_ Blaine left you."

"Noah doesn't do matchmaking," Sara said with a giggle. "He hated when people did it to him, so he won't even try it with anyone else."

Grace added, "And he told Kurt no when Kurt wanted to set you up." Sam and Akela both looked at Grace, surprised, and she grinned. "I heard them talking about it in the car. Kurt wanted him to help set you two up on a dinner date a few days before Sam was going to leave last time, and Noah told him he hadn't agreed to do it the last twenty times Kurt thought he found the right guy for you, and he wasn't going to agree to it that time either. Noah said if you two were supposed to get together it'd happen without any help."

Akela laughed softly, looking at Sam. "I don't know whether to be glad he's kept Kurt from sending me on blind dates, or annoyed that they didn't make sure I got to spend some quality time with you sooner."

"Go with glad," Sam said, amused "Kurt would have been setting you up constantly if Puck encouraged him, and he's always had terrible luck with that kind of thing. I doubt he's gotten better at it."

"Here you go!" the waitress said suddenly, making them all look up to see her stop next to the table with two heavily laden trays of food. She set one tray on the table and then began to pass out the dishes on the other tray, amused as she put the first plate in front of Sam. "Here's your kalbi and teriyaki beef with rice and salad, ranch dressing on the side." She put a plate in front of Akela, which made Sam laugh softly when he saw it. "And your kalbi and teriyaki beef with double rice." The third plate went in front of Akela, too. "And your fried chicken." She moved to the second tray to keep efficiently passing out the food, putting a big basket of shrimp in the middle of the table. "I didn't think you would mind combining all the shrimp, since you mentioned sharing, and here's the order of teriyaki beef and the mixed plate you girls wanted to share, shoyu chicken and kalbi with macaroni salad, rice, and two extra plates."

Sara and Grace were staring wide-eyed at all the food as Sara said, "Whoa."

The waitress laughed, passing out bundles of silverware and then picking the trays back up to go. "Even with two hungry young men to help, I don't see how you girls plan to eat all of that."

"Me either," Grace admitted, bemused. "I thought lunch plates would be smaller."

"A _lot_ smaller," Sara agreed, sheepish.

"Not at Keneke's," the waitress said with a pleased smirk. "We have to-go trays so you can save the leftovers to take home with you."

Sam chuckled. "Thank you. We'll need a couple of those."

Akela smiled at her, nodding. "Definitely. It all looks _'ono loa_."

"It is, honey, I promise." The waitress winked at Akela and then headed off to put the trays away.

Sam reached for a shrimp, taking a bite and then munching with a smirk as he watched the girls, waiting to see how they would fill their plates.

Grace handed one of the empty plates to Sara and then started to put a little of everything they had ordered on her plate. "I want to at least _try_ everything."

"Me too," Sara agreed, "but I'm going to start with the things I've never had. I'll try the rice and the macaroni salad later."

Akela chuckled. "The rice is good with the teriyaki and the kalbi. The mac salad here is good, but pretty much what you'd get anywhere local. Keneke's got the best kalbi on the island, though, and the fried chicken and the shrimp are both great, and you can't beat the prices with a stick."

Sam smiled at Akela, opening his silverware bundle and pleased to see a set of chopsticks with the fork and spoon. "I thought they seemed pretty low compared to what I remembered from my last visit."

"This is a _kama'aina_ place, _kumu_ ," Akela replied, giving Sam a little grin. "No tourist prices here, even though the occasional tourist wanders in these days. Keneke's is far enough from the tourist attractions that it's mostly just locals."

Sam laughed and opened the chopsticks to snap them apart, then reached over with them and stole a small piece of the girls' shoyu chicken, making Sara laugh.

"Thief!" Grace said quickly as she opened her own silverware to get a fork.

Sam grinned unrepentantly. "Sometimes." He popped the bite of chicken into his mouth and then his eyebrows went up, surprised and pleased by how good it was. It didn't taste exactly like any of the ginger chicken dishes he'd ever tried, and he really liked the flavor, a little sweet but very savory with the bite of ginger and a little extra something he couldn't quite identify.

"Like that one, huh?" Akela asked, amused as he reached for a piece of his fried chicken, watching Sam interestedly.

"It's good," Sam agreed. "I expected something like the sweet ginger chicken I've gotten at Chinese places."

Sara tried the shoyu chicken she had just put on her plate to see what it was like, her eyes widening a bit at how good it was. “That is good!”

"It's the home-grown Aloha Shoyu," Akela said, grinning. "And the fresh Hawaiian ginger and cane juice. Keneke's makes everything real deal, no bleached-out industrial sugar or high-fructose crap here."

"It's awesome," Sara said, grinning happily as she put more of the shoyu chicken on her plate.

"The kalbi's great, too," Grace said, making Sara look at her. Grace had already filled her plate and was munching happily on another bite of the beef short ribs, chewing and swallowing before she added, "It's almost as good as when Chin and Malia make short ribs for us."

"I've never had kalbi," Sara said, putting some of the kalbi on her plate. "It's beef, right?"

Grace nodded. "It's beef short ribs with a sort of barbecue flavor, only it's not the American kind with all the tomato in it." She looked at Akela. "Is that hoisin?"

Akela grinned. "You're going to be a chef yet, _poki'i_. Not everyone uses hoisin in the kalbi, but they do here. Hoisin with soy sauce, sesame oil, and pureed garlic, pears, and ginger."

Grace beamed. "I want to go to culinary school so I can be a good cook, but then I'm going to work for Five-0."

"Don't tell your _makuahine_ that," Akela said with a quick laugh. "She'll kill your _makuakanes_."

Grace grinned. "I'm crazy, not stupid."

Sara giggled. "You sound just like Noah."

Grace just grinned at Sara and dug into her lunch again without saying anything, making a low happy noise as she tried the fried shrimp.

Akela looked at Sam, wondering why he had gotten quiet, and then he smirked as he saw Sam was too busy eating to talk. "You like, _ku'u ipo_?"

Sam took a moment to swallow a mouthful of teriyaki beef and rice, smiling wide and happy. "Love it, _makamae_. _Helu 'ekahi mea 'ai._ You did good bringing us here."

Akela preened, smug. "I knew you'd like it."

Sam laughed softly, amused. "Of course you did."

Akela winked as he dug into his fried chicken, enjoying every bite. Keneke's was his favorite place to eat on the windward side of the island, and he always got the fried chicken. He'd never had any better except for what Carole made, but she didn't make it very often so he made do with Keneke's. It was so delicious he could eat it every day and not get tired of it, and he often stopped for a to-go order on his way to his place on the North Shore just west of Kahuku Point. He called it a surf shack even though the surfing was more dangerous than he liked there because of the reefs and the rocky shore, but he loved the beautiful ocean view and the lack of neighbors, something he couldn't find in many places on Oahu. Not anywhere he could afford, anyway. He had lucked into the property, which his cousin inherited after his uncle died in Iraq. She didn't want half an acre in the middle of nowhere and sold it to him for a tenth of what it was worth on the open market to keep it in the family and still buy the pretty little sportscar she wanted.

Sara grinned and watched Sam and Akela as she ate, enjoying the food almost as much as she enjoyed seeing the looks Sam and Akela kept giving each other, seemingly oblivious to everything but each other and their lunch. She looked over at Grace after a few minutes and Grace caught Sara looking at her almost immediately, flicking her gaze to Sam and Akela and then back to Sara with a smug little smirk. Sara smirked too and nodded slightly, and they both went back to eating, occasionally glancing at each other in amusement at the way Sam and Akela were staring at each other.

Going for a walk on that hidden little beach for a couple hours had gone even better than the girls had hoped when they schemed to leave Sam and Akela alone as much as possible that day, and lunch at a quiet little _kama'aina_ place seemed to be going pretty well, too, which made both of the girls smug.

Noah hadn't thought to tell _them_ not to try any matchmaking, and so far Sara figured they were batting a thousand.

 

~*~

 

When they left Keneke's, Akela drove back to Kailua to stop by the McGarrett house. He looked over his shoulder at the girls when he parked near the front door, smiling. "Go put the food up and change into jeans and boots. I got an idea for the afternoon I think you two will like."

Sara unbuckled her seatbelt, looking curious. "What kind of idea?" She was already wearing her combat boots, but she had worn a pretty sundress that day that Noah had bought for her. It was white with a pattern of leaves and several kinds of pastel-colored Hawaiian flowers on it, just past knee-length with a wide full skirt.

Akela grinned at her. "Just go change out of that pretty dress, _poki'i_ , you'll find out."

Grace got out, grabbing the bags with the leftovers. One bag had a container full of fried chicken and shrimp and a container of shoyu chicken and kalbi with rice for Akela and Sam to eat later, and the other bag held a container with the leftovers from the girls' lunch along with family-sized orders of kalbi, teriyaki beef, mac salad, and rice that the girls had gotten to take home for dinner because they liked it so much and wanted to share with the family. "I bet he wants to go hiking, Sara." She closed her door with her hip and started towards the front of the Bug. "You'd better put on socks it'll be comfy to walk in for a while, too, and some bug spray."

"That's a good plan," Akela agreed, grinning still.

Sara made a face and got out of the car. "Hiking is not my idea of fun, but it could be worse. We could be stuck sitting at home watching TV."

"I like hiking," Grace said with a laugh, waiting by the front of the car for Sara to join her. "Akela knows all the best places to go I bet."

"Probably," Sara agreed, walking towards the door with Grace as she said, "but if we wanna walk for hours, we could go window shopping. The mall has air conditioning at least." She paused to open the door for Grace, letting out a little laugh. "And how crazy is it to want air conditioning in _December_? In Ohio I'd be under every blanket I could find trying not to freeze to death."

Grace was laughing as she walked inside and then Sara closed the door behind them.

Sam tried not to think about how honest Sara had been about the possibility of her freezing to death back in Ohio, looking at Akela instead as he murmured, "They'll be a little while."

Akela grinned. "That was the idea." He scooted out from under the steering wheel towards Sam and then moved quickly to settle astride Sam's lap.

Sam laughed softly, moving his hands to Akela's hips. "I'm liking this plan, _milinanea_."

"You like all my plans," Akela pointed out, smirking as he moved closer to kiss Sam slowly and lovingly.

Sam hummed his agreement into the kiss but didn't try to say anything, his hands sliding around to Akela's back to urge him a little closer while they made out like they had all the time in the world. Sam already wanted Akela more than he had ever wanted Blaine, despite how crazy it was to be so addicted to someone he had kissed for the first time just the night before. It made no sense to him how strongly he felt about Akela, but Sam just couldn't get enough of kissing and touching him and Akela seemed to be feeling the same way so Sam had decided not to even try to fight it. He had never been one to rush into a serious relationship before, always afraid to give his heart and have it broken, so it was a new feeling for him to throw caution to the wind and just let himself enjoy it.

Akela had dated quite a few people, and hooked up with many more, but even Kurt hadn't affected him like Sam was. It was scary how important Sam was to him already and how badly he wanted to please him, but while Sam was kissing or touching him the worry melted away and he felt like all was right with his world in a way he hadn't ever really experienced before. Knowing that Sam was feeling the same things was enough for Akela to be able to just let go and enjoy it, but it was still a little surreal for him to want anyone, _need_ anyone, so much. He felt like he was moving into unexplored territory, completely lost but enjoying the journey too much to care.

Sara and Grace walked back outside after a little while, smirking at each other when they saw Akela was in Sam's lap, his shirt on the hood of the Bug while he and Sam kissed like they might never come up for air. "Think we should go back in?" Grace whispered to Sara.

Sara made a face. "You heard your dad and Noah this morning. We're not allowed near the water without a chaperone in case something bad happens. I don't want to sit around the house all afternoon, do you?"

"Not really," Grace agreed.

Grace just stood there watching Sam and Akela for a few minutes with Sara before she realized they would probably be upset to realize the girls had been watching. She started towards the Bug then with Sara following her as she walked quickly over to lean across the hood and get the shirt that was laying there. She moved around to the passenger side of the car as she said teasingly, "'Kela, I think you lost something."

Akela pulled away from Sam, looking surprised and then letting out a little laugh as he saw Grace was holding Sam's tank top. He took the shirt from Grace, feeling his face heat up as he said dryly, " _Mahalo, Keko_."

Sara giggled and moved around the other side of the car to get in, keeping her attention on Akela and Sam so she wouldn't miss anything.

Grace grinned impishly at Akela, enjoying the fact she had made both Akela and Sam blush without really upsetting them. " _He mea iki, kunane_."

Akela quickly pulled the shirt back on, very aware of the girls watching interestedly, and then moved back behind the wheel as he said with amusement, "Just get in the car, _kolohe_."

Grace giggled and went to get in the back as Sara said teasingly, "We could go for another walk, if you two can't wait until later."

Sam felt like his face was on fire as he looked at Akela, only a little surprised to see Akela was blushing too. "That won't be necessary."

Akela started the car, changing the subject as he looked at over his shoulder at the girls, then looked behind them to start backing the car down the driveway. "You two got on long jeans and boots like I said?"

"Yep," Sara agreed, smirking. She wanted to tease them more, but she didn't because she knew Sam wouldn't tease her if it was the other way around. She lifted one booted foot instead, showing Akela her combat boot with her black jeans neatly tucked into it. She had grabbed a plain purple t-shirt to go with the jeans and boots, and had her hair pulled back into a ponytail too, so she figured she was ready for hiking. "You ready to tell us where we're going?"

"You'll find out," Akela replied, smirking at her as he stopped the Bug in the road. He turned to face forward again, putting the Bug into gear as he said cheerfully, "It's not far, only about five miles."

The girls looked at each other in the back. "Hiking," Grace said, amused. She had changed into her hiking boots, a pair of stonewash jeans, and a t-shirt that said 'Watch out BOYS, my Daddy is a Police Officer!' with a badge in place of the O in boys. "There's not much else in Kailua we'd need jeans and boots for."

Sara made a face. "Yay for getting all sweaty walking in the woods."

Grace giggled. "Could be worse. He could have told us to change into running shoes to go for a five-mile run."

" _You_ could be going for a run, maybe," Sara said, surprised and laughing. "I only run if someone bigger and meaner than me is chasing me."

Sam and Akela both laughed at that. Sam remembered when Kurt used to say pretty much the same thing, and how easy it had been for Steve and Danny to get him to go with them. Kurt had complained the first few weeks, but he'd finally realized he kind of liked it. By the time Puck joined him in Kailua, Kurt was running a few miles three times a week and loved it, so it had been a given that Puck would start running too. He'd try anything Kurt liked at least a few times to see if he liked it, and he had learned to enjoy running with the family. They usually started out along the beach, running around the point and then cross-country south to Tinker road, which wandered around along the edge of the old Bellows Airfield all the way down to Waimanalo.

Grace giggled and said, "But being able to run is important!"

"I'm in good shape," Sara said firmly. "I can run when I need to, but running for fun is totally not my thing. I'll swim or do yoga or something else."

Sam looked over his shoulder at Sara, still amused. "You realize that Puck's going to want you to go running with the family, right? They go a few times a week." He grinned. "Grace and Danny head home after a mile usually, but the rest go two or three before they head back."

"He can want in one hand and crap in the other," Sara said cheerfully. "See which one fills up faster."

Akela laughed at that, and Grace was giggling as Sam said with a smirk, "You say that now, bittygirl, but I bet when he starts begging and bribing that you'll go with them."

Sara shook her head. "You are totally underestimating how much I really don't want to run. I got laps all the time at school and I'm totally not running _for fun_ , 'cause it's _not_ _fun_. While they go run I'll lie on the hammock with a good book, and everyone will be happy."

Sam chuckled. "If you say so."  

"I do," Sara said firmly. "Running is for people who aren't me."

"Puck used to hate to run, too," Akela pointed out. "Now he and Kurt go at least twice a week."

"I haven't seen them go out," Sara said, "and I've been here almost a week."

"That's because they've been trying to spend time with you, _poki'i_ ," Akela replied, amused as he turned onto Kailua Road towards the Pali highway and a suburb of Kailua called Maunawili. "They usually run before dinner, it's one of the reasons I only hang out on weekends."

Sam grinned at Akela. "You don't like to run?"

"Not after a long day working, no," Akela replied with a soft laugh. "I run in the morning, if I'm gonna run." He grinned, glancing at Sam. "Mornings are slow anyway. I can run and then go to work and get paid to sit around with a drink and relax a couple hours."

"What is it you do?" Sara asked, curious and wanting to change the subject. She wasn't going to run, no matter what bribes Noah might offer to get her to try it, so they might as well give up on the idea.

"I work at a hotel in Waikiki," Akela replied, then he laughed. "Well, I did. I told the boss this morning I was taking some time off, and he said for me not to bother coming back."

"You got fired?" Sam said quietly, surprised. Akela had mentioned taking some time off to be with Sam the day before, and it was upsetting to realize it might have made him lose the job Sam knew he enjoyed.

" _'Ae_ , but it's all good, _ipo_ ," Akela said easily, smiling at Sam before he looked back at the road. The turn off he wanted was coming up soon and he didn't want to miss it. "I was tired of that beach again anyway. Think I'm gonna go up to Turtle Bay next month, start working up there. I haven't worked the North Shore in a couple years, but I love it up there in spring." He slowed to make the turn, adding, "And my shack's real close, so it'll be an easy run to work every morning."

"Sounds good," Sam agreed, pleased as he relaxed again and started to look around, wondering where they were going. It looked like maybe Grace had been right, since they were definitely heading away from the more populated coast towards the wilder area in the interior of the island. Akela was driving much slower, and the scenery was different off of the Pali highway, the trees more lush with thick underbrush broken up by the occasional pasture that held a few horses, goats, or even pigs lazing around in the shade.

"What is it you do at the hotels, Akela?" Sara asked after a few minutes, curious.

"I can do pretty much anything I need to, _poki'i_ ," Akela replied, "but mostly I get hired to teach _malihinis_ to swim or take them out on the beach and keep them from killing anyone when they try to learn to surf." He chuckled. "On the North Shore I usually end up working at the pool or out on a jet ski playing buoy and keeping them from doing anything stupid on the reefs, but sometimes I help with beach rides or play caddy on the golf courses."

"Are there more hiking trails up here?" Grace asked suddenly. They had just passed the turn off for the only public hiking trail she knew of in Maunawili.

Akela smirked and glanced back at her. "Could be, but we're not out here to go hiking, _Keko_." He saw the turn he was looking for up ahead and slowed down even more, turning off the road into a long sloping driveway that gave them a good view down a hill towards two outdoor riding arenas and several barns, all surrounded by wild ungroomed pastures where horses grazed, some areas grazed short and others belly-deep in grass and weeds.

Sara's eyes went wide. "We're going to a horse farm?!"

"Yep," Akela replied with a smug grin. "My _hoapili_ Kailona's family owns the place, and she's always complaining they have too many horses to ride. She texted me a little while ago asking me to help out if I could, so I know she's out here today. If nothing else, she won't mind letting you two meet the horses, but I bet she puts you to work if you know how to ride."

Grace was grinning widely. "I do! I had riding lessons for _years_. I was jumping and starting to learn polo when Mom made me stop."

"I haven't ridden in a long time," Sara admitted, "but I always loved it."

Akela glanced at Sam, still grinning. "How about you, _ku'u ipo_?"

"Never been on a horse in my life," Sam admitted, amused. "I've only gotten close to them a few times, back in high school. I dated a girl who had a horse, and she conned me into helping her around the barn."

Akela parked the Bug near the open main doors of the big barn and then looked at Sam, surprised. "You dated a girl?"

"Several," Sam agreed, amused. He glanced away from Akela to check on Grace and Sara, who were already out of the car and moving towards the barn door to watch a young girl who was tying a bay pony to the door of an open stall. He looked back at Akela then, sure the girls were fine as he murmured teasingly, "Enough to know for sure I'm not interested." Akela looked so pleased that Sam couldn't resist adding, "You have nothing to worry about, _milinanea_."

Akela grinned crookedly, feeling a little sheepish as he leaned towards Sam and whispered, "I just want to keep you all to myself is all." He kissed Sam lightly and then turned away, getting out of the car as he looked into the barn and called, "Keli, where's Kai?"

Sam got out of the car, grinning and pleased even though he wasn't completely sure about the whole idea of going riding. He trusted Akela not to get him hurt though, and he knew that the girls both loved horses so he would go along with it. He could always find a nice shady spot to watch from if riding didn't work out.

The girl with the bay had been digging in a tote bag by her feet, but after a moment she stood to look over the pony's neck at Akela, grinning. "She's in the big arena, cussing Powa again. He's decided he forgot how to jump again today. He's plowed through a bunch already and made us rebuild them."

Akela snickered. "She gonna kill that horse yet."

"She might," Keli agreed with a giggle. "She's trying to get him to settle down and let her get him around the jumps at least once, then she has seven more horses she's supposed to ride."

"I think I can help her with that," Akela said with a wide grin. "Have fun giving the ponies their spa treatments."

Keli started brushing the bay with a laugh and then said dryly, "Always."

Akela started towards the far side of the barn and Sam moved quickly to follow as Akela called to the girls, "Come on, _poki'i_. You'll have more fun watching Kailona argue with Powa than you will watching Keli brush out the Pony Clubbers."

Sara and Grace moved to follow Akela and Sam, both grinning happily as Grace asked, "This is a boarding barn?"

"Yeah, it is," Akela agreed, smiling as he glanced over his shoulder at her. "They're usually full though, the farm's been here forever."

Grace's face fell a little, but then she shrugged. "Oh well, Mom probably wouldn't let Step-Stan get me a horse anyway."

Sara looked at Grace. "Would he ask her first?"

"Probably not," Grace said with a little laugh, "but Mom might just make him sell it. She got thrown, so it must be too dangerous for _me_ to ride, even though I haven't ever fallen off a horse in my _life_."

"That's mom logic for you, _Keko_ ," Akela said, laughing.

"It's sure not Earth logic," Grace said quickly. "Horses don't even _like_ Mom, she never should have tried to ride that polo pony. She wanted to show off for Step-Stan's friends, but he was _way_ too much horse for her."

They rounded the corner of the barn then and could see the other riding arena, where Kailona was moving away from them on a muscular dapple grey stallion that kept leaning on the bit and then letting off again like he was testing her grip on the reins. There were jumps set up at different distances and angles scattered across the middle of the arena, a full course of them as if it was for a competition, but Kailona was avoiding them, circling the grey around the outside rail at a slow steady canter.

Akela walked to the rail and leaned against it, grinning as he murmured, "Looks like maybe Powa is settling down, he's not bucking or tossing a fit about going slow."

Sam stood by the rail next to Akela, giving Akela a surprised look as he asked softly, "Does he buck a lot?"

"Oh yeah," Akela replied quietly, amused. "Powa, he was a star polo pony once upon a time, but he got hurt in a match and he refused to play anymore. They decided to breed him cause he was so good, but that only lasted a few months before he started jumping fences and got in with some mares that weren't supposed to get bred. The polo club tried higher fences, but he just jumped out again so they put him up for sale. Nobody wanted a stud polo pony who won't play polo and doesn't stay in a pasture, so Kai's mom bought him for a song to try to turn him into a show jumper. That was a few months ago, and he still hasn't made it around a course."

Kailona rounded the corner at the far end of the arena and then curved away from the rail towards a jump that was chest-high on the grey, giving him his head. The grey's ears went up when she let off on the reins and he lengthened his stride, leaping the simple rail jump without hesitation and heading straight for a higher one a dozen strides beyond it. He leapt it too, flying over the five-foot high top rail with seemingly no effort, and then his ears went back and he lashed his tail as Kailona reined him around in a half circle to face three jumps, the first two about three feet apart with a shallow little plastic-lined puddle of water between them, and then further away another simple rail.

The first jump was only about three feet high, but the second one was a little over four feet, which along with the 'ditch' between them encouraged the horse to jump not just up but out. The grey's ears went up again as Kailona gave him his head for the jump, and Kailona was grinning on his back, looking pleased until the grey charged right through the jumps, scattering rails with a loud clatter and splashing through the water. "Powa, you lousy _kanapapiki_!"

The grey flicked his long black tail, tossing his head and tugging on the reins as he headed for the next jump, and Kailona pursed her lips as she let him go, prepared for him to charge through it again. The grey took the jump in stride instead, clearing it by a foot or more, and she was still looking surprised when he completely ignored her attempt to turn him, opening his mouth to avoid the bit and leaping over the outer rail of the arena.

"I swear to _Akua_ , Powa, somebody might eat you yet!" Kailona yelled, fighting to drag the grey to a stop while he shook his head and bounced under her, not quite bucking.

Grace and Sara were both trying very hard to not let Kailona hear them giggle, but Akela didn't even try to restrain his laughter, and even Sam couldn't help chuckling quietly.

Kailona got the grey at least mostly settled down and started him around the arena at a reaching trot, posting easily as she called, "'Kela, tell me you're here to volunteer!"

"I am, _hoapili_ , and I brought a few friends," Akela called back, grinning widely.

"Take this ' _okole_ before I kill him," Kailona said, stopping the grey near them and swinging a leg over his neck to slide down out of the saddle. "You're the only one besides me or Mama who can stay on him if he has a temper tantrum, and she’s washed her hands of him." Powa looked interestedly at them, switching his long black tail but standing calmly while Kailona lifted the reins over his head and then held them out towards Akela. "Just...  Go play on the cross-country course or something. Get him out of my sight a while and run the obnoxious out of him."

Akela laughed and moved to take Powa's reins. " _'Ae_ , _hoapili_. I don't mind riding him for you." Powa nudged Akela's shoulder and Akela grinned as he looked up at the grey, patting his cheek lightly. "Powa likes me."

"That's because you're both overgrown kids," Kailona pointed out with a snort, then shoved Akela. "Now stop being rude and introduce me to your friends."

"You know Gracie," Akela said immediately, still grinning.

" _Aloha_ , Kailona," Grace said quickly, beaming.

" _Aloha_ , Grace," Kailona replied, smiling warmly at her. She hadn't seen Danny's daughter in nearly three years, but she remembered her well. She had gone with Akela to have Sunday dinner with Kurt and his family sometimes before she had kids of her own, and Grace had usually been there. Martin's job as a charter pilot for his dad's helicopter tour company meant he worked whenever there were tourists who wanted to pay for his time, so he was often busy on weekends.

Akela gestured towards Sara. "The pretty _wahine_ next to Gracie is Puck's baby sister, Sara."

Sara smiled at Kailona even though she was sort of dreading the usual questions about her mom. " _Aloha_."

Kailona smiled back. " _Aloha_! Akela mentioned that you were coming to live with your brother. I hope you like it here, I know he's missed you."

"I missed him too," Sara agreed, smiling wider in relief. "And I love it here. Especially if there's a chance I might get to ride once in a while."

Kailona laughed. "Don't offer, I'll put you to work even if I have to teach you how first!"

Sara beamed. "I'd love to help."

Kailona grinned. "Awesome!" She looked at Grace. "How about you? Will your mom mind you riding here, Gracie? We're not as fancy as the Manawalea Riding Center, but we have more fun here."

"What Mom doesn't know won't hurt me," Grace replied promptly, grinning happily. "I love to ride, and I know enough to help with the jumpers some if you want. I was jumping four foot six and starting polo when Mom canceled my lessons."

"I don't know your mom anyway, Gracie, so I certainly won't tell her," Kailona said with an impish smirk, "And I've got a sweet six year old mare that needs more riding than I have time for. She's fourteen hands and working just under four feet in training."

Grace beamed. "I'll be glad to work with her."

"Wonderful," Kailona said, grinning. "I'll put you to work."

Sam chuckled softly, drawing Kailona's attention to him, and he smiled. "Nice to meet you finally, Kailona. I'm Sam."

"Hello!" Kailona smiled at Sam, then gave him a once over and looked at Akela. Sam was wearing Akela's t-shirt with his truck and his two favorite surfboards on it, so she had no doubt they were pretty close already even though she'd never met him. "Kurt and Puck's Sam?"

"Yes, but he's _my_ Sam now," Akela corrected, smirking. "Besides, you already have a husband."

"Just because I'm married doesn't make me blind," Kailona countered, smirking as she looked at Sam again. "He's a handsome one."

Sam grinned. "Sorry, Kai. Even if you were my type, I'd have to say no. I'm taken."

"You will be later anyway, I hope," Akela added, smirking a bit wickedly.

Sam smirked at Akela. "If you're good, maybe."

"I'm _always_ good," Akela pointed out, still smirking wickedly. "You haven't had any complaints so far."

"True," Sam agreed. "That might change if your bright idea for the afternoon gets me killed, though."

"I'll take good care of you, _huapala_ ," Akela said confidently, smug enough it made Sam laugh.

"Do you not ride much, Sam?" Kailona asked, curious and grinning. The fact Akela was calling Sam _huapala_ couldn't be anything but good as far as she was concerned. She'd spent the last five years trying to find someone that could help Akela get over Kurt, _anyone_ who could, but she hadn't had any luck at all. It would be maddening but typical if the friend Kurt had been wanting Akela to get to know for the last few years was the one to do it.

"Or ever," Sam corrected, amused as he looked at Kailona again, pretending to ignore how Sara and Grace were grinning. "Never been on a horse in my life."

"It'll be Malohi for you, then," Kailona said with a wry smile, wondering why Akela had brought him along.

"A horse named 'sleepy' is about my speed," Sam said, "as long as it's not a bad joke."

Kailona laughed, surprised Sam had known what _malohi_ meant. "No joke, he's the quietest horse on the place. He'll amble along after whatever horse he goes out with and ignore everything else unless you tell him to go faster."

"Perfect," Sam said, pleased. "I won't. If they run off, they can just come back and find me."

"Good plan if you don't know how to ride," Kailona agreed with a smile, and then she looked at Sara. "How about you, Sara? Do you ride much?"

"I used to ride every weekend until my grandpa died," Sara answered. "Nana couldn't keep up with all the horses after he was gone, so she sold them."

"How old were you then?" Kailona asked.

"Five," Sara admitted, "but _Saba_ let me ride all of his, even his best cutting horse, Peppy. He always said I was a natural."

"We'll try you with Jasmine then," Kailona said, smiling. "She's not as quiet as Malohi, but she rides Western and won't try to throw you or anything. She doesn't get nearly enough riding, we don't have many people here who want to ride a Western-trained horse. You remember how to neck-rein and to use your legs?"

"I do," Sara agreed quickly, beaming. "Grandpa always said any horse who didn't neck rein was either a plow horse or a hobby horse."

Kailona laughed. "Sounds like my grandfather. He was a cavalry officer and a real _paniolo_ cowboy _,_ and he felt the same way." She looked at Grace, smiling. "Do you think you can saddle up on your own?"

Grace nodded quickly, grinning. "I've been saddling up for years."

"Good!"  Kailona grinned. "Go on back to the main barn and ask Keli to show you Hulahe and give you her tack and a helmet."

"Okay!" Grace agreed quickly, beaming as she turned to hurry back towards the barn.

"Malohi and Jaz are in the back barn with the family mounts, come on." Kailona smiled at Sam and Sara and then looked at Akela, starting past him and Powa towards the other side of the arena with Sara quickly following her. "Bring Powa along, too. You're going to saddle up for Sam."

Akela laughed and turned Powa to follow without protest, grinning when Sam moved to walk next to him as they followed Kailona and Sara. He reached for Sam's hand and Sam gave him a slightly surprised, pleased smile that made Akela's grin soften as he gave Sam's hand a gentle squeeze. Sam squeezed back and smiled a little wider, bumping his shoulder gently against Akela's as they walked.

Akela impulsively leaned to kiss Sam, then grinned and looked ahead of them again as if he hadn't done anything unusual at all.

Sam walked along watching Akela for a few moments before he finally looked at Kailona and Sara again, grinning.

 

~*~

 

Kailona heard horses approaching and glanced up from picking out Jules' hind hoof, then she dropped his foot and stood up straight, her eyes going wide.

Grace and Sara were side-by-side on their mares jogging up the track that led from the wide strip between pastures where all the cross-country jumps were set up, but Kailona barely glanced at the girls. She was too busy staring past them at Akela and Sam, who were riding along well behind them, to notice much more than the fact Sara seemed to already be riding much better than she was when they went out. Jasmine was carrying herself proudly because her rider's confidence was up, and she was keeping up with Hulahe easily even though Jaz was a stocky Quarter Pony and Hulahe was a quick, agile young Half-Arabian mare. Jasmine had been trained for barrel racing, which was a speed event that had a tendency to make a horse 'hot' under saddle, and frequent rides outside the arena had turned out to be the best way to keep her focused on her rider instead of on how fast she could run.

Sam was looking relaxed and happy on Malohi even though the sleepy chestnut Quarter Horse gelding was jogging along with the others, but even that didn't surprise her much. Malohi was trained Western, like Jasmine, but he had never been a speed horse in his life. As a youngster he had been shown in pleasure classes where he had to quietly and calmly walk, trot, and canter very slowly around a ring with his head carried below his back, and he had learned his job well. Malohi didn't look like anything special, but he was still worth his weight in gold to Kailona's family because he was what was known as a 'husband horse', so gentle that anyone could climb in the saddle and he would quietly cart them around. Boarders borrowed him often to take their husband or boyfriend for a ride with them, and he was excellent at making a guy feel like he was a 'natural' on a horse.

No, the shock was Powa. He was carrying his head much lower than usual with his ears level with his shoulders like Malohi was doing, but his head definitely wasn't down so low because he was tired. His ears were pricked forwards as he watched the two young mares in front of him, and his eyes were still bright and alert as he cantered slowly along at Malohi's side with a level topline just like the much quieter chestnut. Powa seemed perfectly happy with the relaxed pace even though Akela was completely ignoring him, watching Sam ride with a soft little smile that would have had Kailona cheering at any other time. Akela seemed oblivious to everything around them and was totally wearing his heart on his sleeve, but Kailona barely noticed it other than to realize that Akela was head over heels in love with Sam, even more than he had been for Kurt.

Kailona watched them approach for a few more moments, taking in how different Powa looked from, well, every other time she had seen him under saddle. Ever.

Grace and Sara slowed to a walk when they got closer to Kailona, and Grace asked, "Should we put Jasmine and Hulahe up, ma'am?"

Kailona dragged her attention away from Powa to smile at the girls. "I'm Kailona or Kai, not ma'am. Just take them both to the small arena to cool them out, then put them in the main barn. There should be an empty stall next to Hulahe's where you can tie Jaz, and there are extra halters everywhere."

"Okay, Kai," Grace said quickly, smiling. "Do you want us to pull their tack and brush them out? I think they're pretty cool, we walked all the way up the cross-country course on the way in and didn't let them jog until Akela told us to after we passed the round pen."

"Please," Kailona agreed, smiling wider. "If you walked them that far, they should be fine. Go ahead and brush them out and put the saddles and bridles in the big tack room, if you wouldn't mind. I'll be there in a few minutes to check them over before you put them away."

"Glad to!" Grace turned Hulahe away to walk across the front of the big arena towards the main barn, and Kailona smiled at how quick Hulahe was to obey just a slight twitch of the reins. Hulahe was a beauty, but she could be headstrong and liked to test her rider to see how much she could get away with. Grace had obviously won the inevitable battle with the young mare, and done so thoroughly enough that Hulahe was content to behave herself.

"Thanks for letting us ride," Sara added, smiling happily at Kailona, and then she heeled Jasmine around in a neat rollback to follow Grace, trotting a few strides before she slowed to a walk next to Grace and Hulahe.

"You're welcome!" Kailona watched the girls go into the main barn and then turned back to watching Akela and Powa, barely noticing Sam and Malohi next to them as she watched Powa approach her. He was usually a very collected, high-headed horse, carrying his muzzle well above the level of his shoulders with his hind legs gathered in under him to supply all that forward impulsion that allowed him to spin on a dime or leap a six-foot-plus fence with equal ease, so seeing him all stretched out moving along with his ears level with his shoulders and no collection at all was a huge change. He was watching her, but he was still calm and quiet enough to be a completely different horse than the Powa she had thought she knew so well, moving in a low relaxed frame she would have sworn he couldn't even do.

Kailona didn't even think about it as she called, "Alright, 'Kela, what did you give him?"

Akela dragged his gaze away from Sam when Kailona called to him, looking so surprised that Kailona nearly laughed. Powa stopped on the spot, his head going up, and Malohi stopped a moment later with a slightly confused expression, looking back at Powa.

Sam looked a little confused too as he looked first at Akela and then at Kailona. "He didn't give me anything."

"Not you," Kailona said, laughing slightly. "Powa!"

The grey flicked his ears back when Kailona said his name and then forwards again, looking a little suspiciously at her, and Akela laughed softly. "I didn't drug him! I keep telling you, Powa _likes_ me."

Akela nudged Powa with his heels and the grey started to walk quickly forward, still watching Kailona and moving with his head much higher. Malohi moved to walk along next to Powa without Sam giving the quiet chestnut gelding any kind of urging, relaxed and calm again.

"Then how did you do it?" Kailona asked, confused. "He's _never_ that quiet, 'Kela!"

Sam chuckled and reached down to pet Malohi, who was the perfect horse as far as Sam was concerned. He didn't have to make any effort at all to ride him unless he wanted Malohi _not_ to follow the other horses, and even then Malohi didn't argue with him. "I didn't notice him do anything Gracie wasn't doing with Hulahe, Kai."

"No offense, Sam, but you don't know the first thing about horses," Kailona pointed out with a little laugh.

"True, but I was watching them both jump," Sam pointed out. "I had a good vantage point by the brush jump in that curve where you can see most of the jumps. Grace took the lower sides with Hulahe, but Powa sailed over the high end of them all like he's part bird."

"I think it's the arena," Akela added, stopping Powa again near to Kailona and Jules. "That's all I can come up with, _hoapili_. He was having _fun_ jumping for me and never tried to avoid it even when I gave him his head completely."

Kailona stared at Akela a moment and then at Powa, wide-eyed. "I never take him out cross-country because I can't get him to jump in the arena!"

Akela laughed. "And who was it told me he causes trouble when he's bored?" Kailona blinked and then looked a little sheepish, and Akela nodded, grinning. "Think of it like you're him, _hoapili_. He spent a few years going all over the islands, dominating on every polo field, and then that _kamipulu_ hit him with a mallet and put him off his favorite game. He was too smart to let someone swing at him again so they threw him in a pretty little paddock to stand around and wait for them to bring him mares. Most stud horses would have just started showing off for anything that looked at them, but Powa, he likes to play with _people_ so he started causing trouble to get attention."

"When you put it that way, it makes sense," Sam agreed, grinning. Kailona looked at him, surprised, and he added, "Might as well expect Akela to leave his surf boards to gather dust while he sat on a couch to watch surfing on television all the time." He looked at Akela and then laughed softly. "Or ever."

"TV's not my thing, _ku'u ipo_ , but I'll watch with you if you want," Akela said, grinning at Sam.

"I don't watch much either, _milinanea_ ," Sam said with a pleased smile. "Just a movie once in a while, or an episode or two of one of the few series I actually watch. My big screen back in Ohio was mostly for the computer and my game machines."

"You're a _gamer geek_?" Kailona said, surprised.

Sam looked at Kailona, grinning suddenly. "Professional computer nerd, but yeah. Gamer too, sometimes. Mostly very old school, but I play one or two more recent ones."

Kailona laughed, looking at Akela. "You're going to feel like a fish out of water with him, _hoapili_. You can't even read email without help, and you hooked up with a _gamer?_ You'll have to finally learn how to turn on a computer!"

"Sam won't make me," Akela said confidently, grinning as he shifted on Powa to get more comfortable. "He knows I'm a beach bum."

Kailona looked at Sam, who grinned at her. "I've met a lot of computer geeks, Kai. Never considered moving halfway across the world for any of them." He looked at Akela, his grin softening. "Not even if they offered me a house on the beach."

"Shack, _huapala_ ," Akela corrected, giving Sam a warm smile. "You gotta keep the roomie, though."

"Wouldn't want it without him," Sam replied. He surprised Kailona by lifting the reins and heeling Malohi sideways over closer to Powa, who just glanced curiously at them as Sam leaned towards Akela. She hadn't shown Sam how to do that, which made her wonder just how much kissing he and Akela had done, since Sam had not only picked it up, but was able to make Malohi sidepass without having to stop to think about how.

"Good answer," Akela murmured with a pleased smile, leaning to meet Sam and kissing him lovingly.

Kailona just watched them kiss for a few moments, still a little surprised the horses didn't seem to mind being so close. Powa had been a polo pony and was trained not to get studdy under saddle but he had never liked horses to crowd him, and yet he didn't seem to care at all Malohi was practically leaning against him. "I get to be maid of honor," she said suddenly after a little while, making Akela and Sam pull apart to look at her, both of them laughing and blushing slightly. She was grinning as she added, "And if I can't get Powa to take the cross-country course for me tomorrow morning, Akela, _you're_ taking over his training. You can find an hour a day to come by and ride him, I know."

Akela laughed again and decided to ignore the maid of honor thing. "Powa doesn't _need_ training. He's not a colt needing taught how to use his legs." He reached down to pat Powa's neck, looking down at the horse and grinning at the way Powa arched his neck, obviously preening under the attention. "He's smart, and he knows what he can do."

"But that's how you train a show jumper," Kailona pointed out, bemused.

Akela looked at Kailona again, amused. "I already told you _and_ Mama Nalani that trying to make a show jumper out of Powa is like trying to turn me into lawyer. You could make a foxhunter or a cross-country horse out of him easy, but he's too smart for any arena event."

"Would you try a few jumps in the arena on him for me?" Kailona asked hopefully. "Just to see if he will for you?"

"No," Akela said firmly. "You know I don't play in the arena, _hoapili_. I'll put miles on him and work him over real jumps, but I won't waste my time running in circles to hop over sticks."

Kailona stared at Akela a few moments and then said wryly, "You make it sound so _stupid_."

"Only 'cause it is to me, _kama ali'i wahine_ ," Akela replied with a grin, starting Powa moving. "Powa still in the front stall in the stud barn?"

"It's the only one he can’t get out of," Kailona agreed as she watched Powa calmly amble away with Malohi moving to walk by his side.

"Got it," Akela agreed with a wave, not looking back. "We'll put Malohi up after Powa's in."

"You gonna ride Powa for me again soon?" Kailona asked.

"Yeah, I'll give him a good run in a day or two if you need me to," Akela agreed, looking back over his shoulder. "Probably bring the girls again too, they were asking when they could come ride again."

Kailona was only a little surprised that Akela didn't ask Sam's opinion, glad that Sam didn't seem to mind. It was obvious to her that Akela was willing to do what it took to please Sam, even though Sam didn't seem to be taking advantage of it much, so she was glad to see it seemed to go both ways. "You're welcome to bring them _every_ day, there's always horses that need ridden. Just put Malohi next to Powa, that stall has been empty because Shah hates Powa and kept starting fights over the wall."

"Sure," Akela agreed, pleased. "Both saddles in the stud tack room?"

" _'Ae_." Kailona moved back towards Jules, who had stepped away when the other horses got close to her. "Malohi's doesn't fit anyone else anyway. He's round as a barrel."

"Got it," Akela said cheerfully. "We'll be back soon."

Kailona didn't bother to reply, instead picking up Jules' hind hoof to finish picking him out so she could ride him. He was the last horse she had to work for the day, and then she could pick up her son in Waimanalo and go home. Her younger sister Aolani didn't mind watching Kailona's little boy for her any time Kailona asked, mostly because the agreement had gotten Aolani out of having to help with the family farm. Aolani had never liked the farm or the horses, so anything that kept her away from both was good in her opinion.

Kailona loved the horses and had enjoyed riding as long as she could remember, so she didn't mind doing her share and her sister's.

 

~*~

 

The Camaro and the Mustang were in the yard when Akela pulled in, so he parked behind the Camaro and shut down the Bug. The girls were already out of the car, both grinning as they closed their doors and then ran for the front door to go inside, and Akela chuckled as he looked over at Sam. "If I had known they'd love it so much, I would have taken you three riding this morning."

Sam smiled. "They're teenaged girls, they love horses."

"And you, _ku'u ipo_?" Akela asked quietly, smiling as he reached over to offer Sam his hand. "Did you like riding?"

Sam laced his fingers with Akela's, smiling softly. "I enjoyed myself more than I expected to."

Akela murmured, "Found out you love the horses too, hmm?"

"Not exactly," Sam disagreed, smiling a bit wider. "But I do like the guy who took me riding."

Akela's smile faded. "Just like?" He immediately regretted his words, shaking his head as he looked away. "Forget I asked that. I know it's too soon."

Sam gave Akela's hand a squeeze, and Akela looked at him again to see Sam was giving him that sweet little smile he had quickly grown to love. "'Like' is my attempt not to be as sappy as a teenaged girl."

Akela barely even realized he was smiling again, he was too busy enjoying the gentle loving look in Sam's eyes. "Sappy isn't all bad, _huapala_."

Sam hesitated, just looking into Akela's eyes for a few moments while he searched for the right words. "It _is_ fast, which scares me more than I want it to, but..." He paused again, and then he admitted, "I think I'm falling in love with you."

Akela leaned to kiss Sam lovingly before he pointed out gently, "Sometimes fast, it's a good thing, _ku'u makakehau_." He smiled, his green eyes bright and happy. " _I_ have no doubts. _Nau ko'u aloha_. I want you with me _kau a kau_."

Sam kissed Akela softly and then murmured, "I want that too, _milinanea_." He grinned impishly, his eyes sparkling happily as he teased, "Even if I still haven't even gotten you into bed."

Akela laughed, feeling suddenly sheepish. "I meant to wait longer before I asked how you feel, but, well..." He let out a little laugh. "I'm not good at patient, _huapala_. Not when I wanted to know so badly."

"I can _usually_ be patient enough for us both," Sam said, amused. He kissed Akela again, humming into the kiss when Akela responded hungrily. Sam forced himself to pull away after a few minutes, breathing hard as he admitted, "But when it's you, _milinanea_ , waiting is almost more than I can stand."

Akela licked his lips, enjoying the hungry look in Sam's greenish hazel eyes, which were already darkening in a way he recognized from that morning. "Then let's go home," he murmured. "There's no reason to wait."

"I should go in, let them know where I'll be," Sam said, wishing he could just say yes and go. "If they get a case they might need me to stay with the girls."

Akela nodded, smiling. "I know, _kumu_. You'll need clothes, too. I doubt you want to wear the same jeans tomorrow."

"Grabbing my duffle would be good," Sam agreed. He kissed Akela again and then let go of his hand and turned away to get out. "Come on, you can talk to them while I get my stuff."

Akela laughed and got out of the Bug, walking to the front of it. "You gonna throw me to the _'ohana_ and hide?"

Sam grinned, moving quickly around the front of the Bug as he said cheerfully, "If you talk to them, I'll be done faster."

Akela only thought about it for a second before he grinned. "Faster is good."

Sam smirked and kissed him, then started towards the house. "I thought you might see it my way."

"When you talk sense, _ku'u ipo_ , I am man enough to admit it," Akela said, grinning as he followed Sam, enjoying the view.

Sam didn't reply, smirking still as he opened the front door and stepped aside to let Akela go inside first.

"We're in here!" Grace called happily from the kitchen.

"Thanks for getting dinner!" Puck added, sounding amused.

Akela started for the kitchen, laughing. "Get your grubby paws off my fried chicken, Puck!"

"Too late," Puck said, leaning out of the kitchen door to grin at Akela. "Danny found it before I did, though." The microwave binged and Puck disappeared back into the kitchen as he said cheerfully, "Dinnertime!"

Akela walked into the kitchen and stopped just inside the doorway, amused to see that Kurt, Grace, Danny, and Steve were all sitting around the kitchen island, plates of the food from Keneke's already in front of them. Sam stopped close behind him, his hands settling on Akela's waist as he looked over his shoulder at the family and then chuckled softly.

Puck was bringing a plate of rice and kalbi from the microwave, inhaling the steam with a blissful expression. "This stuff smells like heaven on a plate."

"It's _so_ good!" Grace said quickly, beaming as she bounced up to take her plate to the microwave.  

Kurt had shoyu chicken, rice, and the remains of a piece of fried chicken on his plate, looking amused as he said a bit sheepishly, "Sorry, _hoapili_. The fried chicken went fast."

Danny was munching on the last piece of fried chicken, grinning at Akela as he swallowed and then said, "Blame Monkey, _she_ said it was our dinner."

"Danno!" Grace exclaimed, laughing.

Puck grinned at Akela, taking a seat on one of the stools around the island. "Gracie left a note on the table saying that dinner was in the fridge and you'd all be back soon. We were starving, so we dug in."

"And I've told you to put your name on anything you don't want to disappear," Steve pointed out as he scooped some mac salad onto his plate, amused. "Danny and Puck were already halfway through the chicken before Grace got in here to explain she didn't mean both bags."

"Eh, it's all good," Akela said, amused. "We'll be going by Keneke's on the way north anyway. We can just stop for dinner."

"Or we can stay in Kailua and order delivery later," Sam murmured into Akela's ear, then kissed his shoulder and slipped past him to head for the other doorway and the study.

Akela smirked, watching Sam go. "I like the way you think, _ku'u ipo ahi_."

Sam looked over his shoulder at Akela, smirking, then disappeared through the doorway.

"Looks like someone had a good day," Kurt said teasingly.

Akela grinned at Kurt, wide and happy. "Second best day of my life, _hoapili_."

Kurt's eyes widened. "And the best?"

"The day I met him," Akela replied, not even needing to think about it. "I didn't know it then, but _Akua_ smiled on me that day. I just had to earn it."

"Saying things like that will get you laid," Sam called from the study, sounding happy and amused.

"Good to know!" Akela called back cheerfully, moving to the fridge to grab a bottle of water out of the bottom drawer. He looked towards the table again as he opened it, and he laughed at the surprised looks on Steve and Danny's faces. "What?"

Kurt was beaming happily. "I gather you two hit it off?"

"Sam's wearing his shirt," Puck said suddenly, making Kurt and Akela both look at him. He was grinning widely at Kurt as he added, "He was moving fast after he stopped hiding behind Akela, but that was totally Akela's Toyota and his two favorite boards on the front."

Grace giggled and Kurt looked at Akela, wide-eyed. "Is it?"

Akela admitted with a slightly sheepish grin, "Might be, yeah."

"Tell me you behaved yourself around the girls," Danny said firmly. "Lie if you have to, 'Kela."

"He won't have to lie, Danno," Grace said quickly, trying not to giggle again. "Sara and I went for a long walk on the beach Akela took us to. It was _beautiful_ , it didn't look like _anyone_ had ever been there! We even saw a bunch of baby sea turtles, and a seal, and there were dolphins playing out in the water! I've got lots of pictures on my phone, but I left it upstairs when we came home to change into jeans after lunch."

Sara hurried into the kitchen, grinning. "We were gone a long time watching the animals and exploring. Sam and Akela were asleep on the beach when we got back."

Danny gave Akela a dirty look. "Dressed, right?"

"Completely," Akela agreed quickly, surprised to feel his face heating up.

Sam walked back out of the study with his duffle bag. He had decided to leave his suitcase for now, even though he was sure he'd soon be moving it too, because he didn't want Akela to feel rushed. "You can stop freaking out, Danny. The girls were way off down the beach before I dragged him off into the bushes," he said calmly, amused. "They were perfectly safe up there without us watching them, and we wouldn't even consider doing anything in front of our baby _sisters_."

"They hardly even let us watch them kiss," Sara added with a snicker, making Danny look at her in surprise. She was making herself a plate and didn’t look at him as she went on. "They're adorable though, all sweet and sappy. Even the waitress at lunch said so. Akela kissed Sam for just a second, and Sam was blushing so red you'd have thought someone caught him naked."

Puck snickered. "Sounds like our Sam." He looked at Kurt, grinning. "Remember when he was Rocky in that skit we did in Glee?"

Kurt laughed. "I never knew anyone could blush that far until then. He got red as a lobster anytime someone mentioned how good he looked in those shorts. I swear he blushed all the way to his _knees_."

Sam started towards the other door, amused even though he was blushing again at the memory. "You can gossip about me while I'm not here. I'll be back in the morning."

" _We_ will be back," Akela corrected. "Don't worry about our _ho'opoki'i_ , we'll be here to watch over them before you leave for work."

"We're both old enough to get our _driving permits_ ," Grace said quickly, "we don't need _babysitters_."

"Yeah, and I've been taking care of myself for years," Sara added, amused. "I'm housebroken and everything."

Grace giggled. "Me too!"

Sam stopped at the kitchen door to look back at Sara and Grace, grinning. "Nice try, girls, but no dice. We'll be here bright and early."

"Besides, Kai said we can take you riding every day if we want," Akela added, smirking at Sara and Grace. "Behave yourselves and we might go again tomorrow."

"We'll make you breakfast," Grace said quickly, beaming at the idea. "Waffles and fresh pineapple-mango juice? I can go pick the fruit in the morning. I know right where there's a wild mango tree just _covered_ in fruit, and a few ripe pineapples, too."

"And while she does that, I can cook the waffles and some sausage and bacon so you both have your favorite," Sara added, also grinning. "I'll even look up how to make that pineapple syrup you two liked so much on your pancakes this morning."

Sam looked at Akela, smirking. "I think they want to go riding again."

Akela laughed. "Seems that way."

Danny was looking at Steve, amused and surprised. "How did I miss that we have sausage _and_ bacon?"

"It's in the deep freeze," Steve said, amused. "Kurt put most of a hog in there last week."

Puck snickered, looking at Steve as he said teasingly, "And to think, Superman. You said we'd never use it for anything but an ice maker when I bought it."

"It's useful," Steve said admitted. "We still don't _need_ it, but it's good for some things."

"We always have enough ice for everyone now," Kurt agreed, amused. "And it's actually parts of several hogs, not just one. Kamekona made me a great deal when he lost his lease and had to butcher all those hogs he was feeding up. I got loin chops and ribs for the grill, breakfast sausage patties, and the smoked sausage links and smoke-cured bacon Dad made for us when he was playing with the smoker last week." He grinned. "I paid about half what we do at the market, and Dad's going to smoke a bunch of meat for Kamekona and his family to make up the difference."

Danny laughed. "So, Kamekona's giving him meat to play with in his toys, _and_ we got all that meat for the freezer, and you still got it for half price?"

Kurt smirked, smug. "I did. And Kamekona is sending his cousin to Dad with wood for the smoker, but he still thinks he outsmarted me."

Steve and Danny both started laughing as Puck grinned at Kurt and said feelingly, "I _love_ you."

Kurt preened. "I know."

Sam snorted, trying not to laugh as he reached for Akela's hand to tow him out of the kitchen. "Night all!"

Akela followed Sam with no hesitation at all, grinning widely. " _Aloha ahiahi_!"

"Night! Thanks for dinner!" Danny called after them, still laughing a bit.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Puck added.

"Is there anything you wouldn't do?" Sara asked, making Grace start giggling.

"Sara!" Kurt exclaimed, sounding scandalized even though he was obviously trying not to laugh.

"What?! It's a valid question!" Sara replied quickly. "I mean, I was ten but I still heard the rumors. Noah was _famous_."

"There's a lot I wouldn't do _now_!" Puck said quickly, sounding indignant. "I'm a married man!"

Sam opened the front door, glancing back at Akela as he fought not to laugh at them. Akela was smirking, his eyes sparkling with restrained laughter as they heard Sara say, "So it's true that marriage takes all the fun out of life then. Bummer."

Sam pulled Akela outside, waiting for Akela to close the door before he stopped fighting it and started laughing. Akela was snickering too, moving to pull Sam into his arms as he smirked and said, "Gotta love the little _kolohe_ , distracting them for us."

Sam nodded, grinning as he wrapped his arms around Akela and murmured, "She's totally on our side." He kissed Akela then, starting soft and gentle but quickly deepening it when Akela responded with more passion than Sam had expected. They were soon both making quiet little hungry noises as they stood there on the front porch kissing like they would never get enough of each other, hands roaming as they shifted to get as close as they could.

Akela was the one to end the kiss, breathing hard as he murmured, "I wanted to take you home tonight, _ku'u ipo ahi_ , but the North Shore is a long drive when I have a bed right here in Kailua."

"Kailua tonight," Sam agreed, leaning in to bite gently at Akela's full lower lip and earning a low groan. Sam smirked at him, his eyes dark and hungry as he murmured, "I seem to remember someone promising me _ho'okela o ka ho'oipoipo_ and then dinner."

"I remember that too," Akela agreed, kissing Sam hard and then pulling away to walk quickly towards the Bug. "Get in the car, _huapala_."

Sam grinned and hurried after Akela, tossing his bag into the back seat and then settling into the passenger side just as Akela started the car. The sun was behind the mountains and it wouldn't be much longer before it was dark, but Sam knew the house Akela's parents had given him when they left the island wasn't far away. The drive to Akela's place in Kailua seemed to take forever, of course, but Sam knew it just seemed like it because he couldn't think of anything except getting Akela somewhere with a bed and a little privacy. He had dated several men since high school, and was in a committed relationship with Blaine for a few years, but Sam had never been with anyone that he wanted as much as he wanted Akela. Just thinking about it had him hard and restless, watching Akela drive with much more attention than was really necessary and completely ignoring where they were.

Sam was so focused on Akela's neck and the memory of how the skin tasted there under his jaw that he didn't even notice when the car stopped or even when the car's convertible top started to close above them. When Sam did notice, he immediately unclipped his seatbelt and started to lean across the seat, intent on tasting Akela's neck again. Akela looked at him then, licking his lips at the look in Sam's eyes, and the glimpse of Akela's tongue drew Sam's attention like a magnet. He lifted his gaze to Akela's eyes as he murmured huskily, "I kind of want to tackle you and _kaunu_ right here."

Akela stifled a groan. "The _lolo luahine_ next door is a _ili 'olelo_ and sure to be watching. Even with the top up she'd see us, and she'd call the cops."

Sam grinned, wicked and dirty. "If the reaction time here is as slow as Ohio, it'd still be worth it. We have friends who are cops, they wouldn't let us rot in jail."

Akela let out a strangled little laugh. "We go inside first, _ku'u ipo ahi_. Then you can do anything you want to do to me."

Sam groaned softly and dragged his gaze away from Akela, trying to get better control of himself while they waited for the convertible top to finish closing. "Right. Sorry, _milinanea_. Just... I'm not used to feeling like this." He looked at Akela again, his eyes still dark and hungry as he added softly, "Ever." The convertible top latched into place and the car fell silent, and then Sam admitted softly, "When I look at you, I want you like I want to breathe. More even, and the more we're together the stronger it seems to get."

Akela didn't look away from Sam's eyes as he pushed the button to close all the power windows, murmuring soft and low, "I feel it too, _ku'u ipo ahi_. _Puni i ka kuli'a_."

" _Kuli'a_?" Sam repeated, trying to distract himself with the unfamiliar word.

The windows finished closing and Akela pulled the keys from the ignition. "To desire greatly, to want one above all others. _Puni i ka kuli'a_ means to be overcome with great desire." He got out of the Bug and started towards the house quickly, not looking back because he wasn't sure how much longer he could resist Sam. He knew Sam would be right behind him, and he _did_ want to get inside before they did anything. The neighbor would call his mother too, not just the cops, and he didn't want to listen to the lecture that would be sure to follow. His mother thought he was old enough he ought to give up his 'wild oats' and settle down to give her some grandbabies. She would have been happy to hear he had a _kama'aina_ baby with a random woman he barely knew, but if she heard he was having sex with a blond _haole_ guy he'd catch hell.

Sam got out of the Bug and hurried after Akela, catching up to him just as Akela opened the door of the house. Sam barely glanced around to notice they were in a narrow side yard that was pretty much filled by Akela's Toyota pickup parked in front of the Bug and his Chevelle next to them, and then he was following Akela into the house.

Akela tossed his keys into an old wooden bowl on the breakfast bar, dropping his wallet and then his phone by it a moment later, and then he turned to face Sam as he stripped off the tank top he was wearing. He smirked at Sam and tossed the shirt aside as he murmured, "Now, where were we?"

"Hunting for a bed," Sam replied with a wicked little grin, closing the front door. He walked quickly over to Akela, his hands settling on Akela's waist as he moved in close and ducked to nibble the spot under Akela's jaw he had wanted so badly to taste in the car. He made a low noise at the salty-sweet tang of the sweat on Akela's skin and the way he could feel Akela's pulse leap against his tongue, licking and sucking for a moment before he purred, "The couch would do for round one, though."

Akela groaned softly, lifting one hand to tangle in Sam's shaggy hair as his other went around to Sam's muscular back to hold on to him. "Bed's just across the room, _huapala_. Lot more comfortable than that old couch."

Sam trailed little nipping kisses up to Akela's ear, then whispered into it, "Tell me what you want, _milinanea_." He slid one hand down over Akela's ass, stroking slowly and possessively as he breathed out softly, " _Ka mea e lo'ana_."

" _'Oe_ , _ku'u ipo ahi_ ," Akela whispered, barely even aware of what he was saying as he tilted his head to give Sam better access to his neck and ear. " _Kau a kau._ "

Sam bit gently under the corner of Akela's jaw, earning a low groan, then pulled back just enough to look at Akela as he murmured huskily, " _Nau ko'u aloha_."

Akela smiled, his green eyes bright as he ran his fingers through Sam's hair and stared into his eyes. " _E lei no au i ko aloha, ku'u ipo._ "

Sam kissed Akela hard and hungry, earning another low groan before he pulled away. He quickly took his wallet and his phone out of his pockets, putting them on the bar with Akela's as he said, "Find us a bed, _milinanea_ , before we _kaunu_ right here in the floor."

Akela laughed softly, grabbing Sam's t-shirt to pull it up and off and then reaching for Sam's hand as he turned away to lead him further into the house without a word. They didn't really need more words, all the important things had already been said.

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

~*~*~*~

 

Everyone ended up going out on the _lanai_ after dinner to relax, sprawled in the chairs under the flickering light of a dozen tiki torches while they discussed the case Five-0 had begun that day. It wasn't a high priority, just a cold-case Chin had dragged up to keep Steve out of trouble, but they still wanted to clear it soon if they could. Puck wasn't _technically_ part of Five-0 yet, but he had always been part of their discussions about cases for the last several years, listening and sometimes commenting if he had something to add or suggest. He had been doing his best to learn everything HPD was willing to teach him for well over a year, often coaxing his training officers to talk about their work, and sometimes he knew some tidbit of office gossip the others hadn't heard about yet.

Sara quickly got bored with the discussion and was thinking about going to get her tablet when Grace leaned over close and whispered, "Are you as bored as I am, _kua'ana_?"

"More," Sara whispered back with a little grin, making Grace grin too.

Grace jumped up as she said brightly, "We're going to go find something on Netflix."

Sara stood, nodding. "There's tons of stuff that we haven't seen yet."

"Have fun, ladies," Steve said quietly, amused by Danny's expression and sure he was thinking again about all the things on Netflix he didn't want the girls watching.

"There are some new snacks in the pantry," Kurt added with a smile. "I got Christmas candy and a few bags of Chex Mix when we went by the store today." He grinned impishly. "Including a bag of the dark chocolate one you like, Gracie."

Grace beamed. "We love you too, Kurt!"

Puck grinned, adding, "And there's peppermint ice cream in the deep freeze."

Sara was beaming too. "Love you _both_! There's just so much granola I can snack on before I start to neigh."

Danny laughed and reached over to poke Steve's shoulder. "See?  It _is_ glorified horse feed!"

"Granola's good for you," Steve replied easily, "and so is the trail mix."

"Which is why chocolatey Chex Mix and ice cream are so much more fun," Sara said quickly, making Danny laugh again and nod.

Steve looked at the girls a moment, taking in how they were beaming, and then at Danny, who was grinning wide and happy, and then he laughed. "Oh, what the hell. I'll have some ice cream, too. I've never tried the peppermint."

Danny bounced up out of his chair and then moved to kiss Steve soundly before he headed for the kitchen. "You're all my witnesses. He can be taught! He decided to eat something sweet all on his own."

Sara and Grace followed Danny into the kitchen, giggling. "Super Steve eats sweets all the time, Danno," Grace said, grinning happily as she moved to get out a stack of small bowls and one bigger one. "He loves fruit, and he always has syrup on his pancakes and waffles."

"Fruit and fruity syrups do not count, Monkey," Danny said firmly as he went to the deep freeze to get the ice cream. "Those fall into the 'mostly healthy' category, not 'dessert'."

Sara went into the pantry to find the candy and the Chex Mix, grinning. "Fruit is only dessert if there's whipped cream and chocolate sauce involved."

"If we have whipped cream and chocolate sauce, I can think of a lot more fun things to do with it than put it on _fruit_ ," Puck said with a smirk, walking into the kitchen with Kurt and Steve right behind him. He looked over his shoulder at Kurt, suddenly wicked. "Or better yet, some pomegranate molasses."

Kurt laughed and blushed. "Noah, behave."

Puck tried to look innocent, but his hazel eyes were sparkling. "What? You _love_ pomegranate molasses."

Sara leaned out of the pantry, smirking as she held out a bottle so dark red it was nearly black. "You mean this stuff?"

Puck laughed. "I thought we used it all." He moved over to the pantry to take the bottle from Sara. "Thanks, bittygirl." He kissed her forehead soundly and then turned away, grinning widely at Kurt, whose eyes had widened. "I think it's getting kind of late." He faked a yawn and started towards the living room with the bottle. "Night all!"

Danny walked back into the kitchen with the ice cream as he called, "Yeah, get out of here before you get in trouble!"

"I'm already gone, Danno," Puck called back.

"G'night!" Sara called cheerfully, trying not to giggle at Kurt's expression.

"Good night, Noah," Grace called too, grinning innocently as she offered Danny the ice cream scoop.

Danny snorted and took the scoop to start dishing out ice cream.

"You coming, baby?" Puck called from the stairs, smirking and sure of the answer. Kurt wouldn't be able to resist the idea of him wearing nothing but molasses.

Kurt didn't immediately move, blushing very red as he called to Puck, "It's only seven o'clock!"

"I can tell time, too!" Puck called back cheerfully, starting up the stairs.

Sara came out of the pantry with several bags of candy and the bag of chocolate Chex Mix, grinning impishly at Kurt. "We all know you'll go, Kurt. You might as well get it over with."

Kurt looked at Sara for a moment, still blushing, then headed after Puck. "No more comments from the peanut gallery!  Good night."

"Lips are zipped," Sara agreed with a little giggle. "Night!"

"Don't forget your stereo!" Danny called, then he looked at Grace, who was standing by him ready to take the first bowl of ice cream. "And you didn't understand _any_ of that, Monkey," he said firmly. "You're not allowed."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Danno," Grace replied, her eyes wide and innocent as she pretended not to hear Sara stifling giggles.

"Good girl," Danny said, starting to dish up another bowl.

Grace stretched up to kiss Danny's cheek, then moved to take the first bowl to Steve, who accepted it with an amused smile. " _Kua'ana_ , would you put extra peanut butter cups in our snack bowl?" Grace asked. "They're my favorite."

"Sure," Sara agreed cheerfully, starting to open bags and dump some of each kind of candy Kurt had gotten into the big bowl. "How about the Chex Mix? Do we want to mix it all together, or keep it in the bag?"

"Mix it!" Grace said happily. "Then we can snack on it all without messing with a bag."

"That's what I thought too," Sara agreed quickly, grinning. She started unwrapping peppermint Kisses as she added, "I'll get rid of all these wrappers, too. No reason to carry them upstairs."

Danny offered Grace a bowl of ice cream, amused. "There's yours, Monkey."

"You take that one, Danno," Grace said quickly, smiling. "I can get ours."

"Alright, if you say so," Danny agreed, moving away from the counter to go join Steve at the table. "You two leave some, though. Puck loves that stuff, and he only got one carton."

"We won't eat it all," Grace agreed.

"And we'll get more tomorrow," Sara added with a little laugh. "You can only get it around Christmas and one carton won't last long. Sam will take us to the store if we ask, I'm sure."

"Sam's awesome like that," Grace agreed, beaming as she started to get a bowl of ice cream for Sara. "I'm so happy for him and Akela."

"Me too," Sara agreed, starting to unwrap the mini peanut butter cups. "Sam has been pretty lonely."

"Akela too," Grace said, nodding. "And they're perfect for each other. It's like Noah and Akela were talking about yesterday, about people meant to be together?"

" _Kane i ka 'ili_ ," Sara said, looking over at Grace. "I think so too!"

"Akela thinks they're _kane i ka 'ili_ already?" Steve asked, surprised.

Sara looked at Steve. "They were talking about Noah and Kurt, but Akela and Sam totally are _kane i ka 'ili_ , too."

"They just kissed the first time _yesterday_ ," Danny pointed out, amused.

Steve chuckled, and when Danny looked at him he smiled and said, "I remember Burt saying the same thing about Kurt and Puck when they hooked up."

Danny laughed, slightly surprised. "You think _Akela_ fell this fast, though? He's been playing the field pretty hard for _years_ , babe."

"It wouldn't surprise me," Steve said, amused. "I've never seen him look at _anyone_ the way he was looking at Sam earlier."

"Kailona knows Akela better than anyone and she was asking Akela when the wedding is," Grace said suddenly, making everyone look at her. She was closing the ice cream, not paying attention to them as she added, "She already started calling Sam _kaiko'eke, too_."

Danny waited a moment for her to explain, then looked at Steve. "Which means...?"

"Brother-in-law," Steve replied, amused. "I know you've heard it before."

"Doesn't mean I knew what Kono was calling me," Danny pointed out, grinning.

Steve chuckled softly and turned his attention back to Grace. "Kailona seems to like Sam?"

Grace nodded quickly, beaming as she looked at Steve. "Kai hugged him when we were ready to go, and thanked him for giving Akela his heart back. That was when she called him _kaiko'eke_."

"Akela agreed with her, too," Sara added and she left the pantry again after putting up the bags of candy. "He said Sam always owned it, he just didn't know it until now." She started gathering up all the wrappers on the table as she asked, " _Kaina_ , what do you want to drink?"

"House wine," Grace replied, heading into the dining room with the ice cream to go put it away.

Sara laughed. "Gotcha." She threw away the wrappers and then moved to get down two of the glasses with lids and straws that they sometimes used outside, especially if they were going to be busy and leave a drink on the _lanai_. The lids kept out insects, but they also would keep their drinks from accidentally spilling on the way up the ladder to her room.

Danny looked at Steve, surprised but pleased. "Akela could do a lot worse than Sam, and they _have_ both been alone a long time. Most of a year for Sam, and I can't remember the last time Akela mentioned anyone."

"More than a year for Sam, _pilikua_. He felt alone a long time before Blaine finally admitted it," Steve pointed out. "I think he was more upset about realizing that than he was about Blaine leaving."

"Nah, I still say it was leaving him for _Karofsky_ that messed Sam up so bad." Danny took a bite of his ice cream before he added, "Which proved my theory all along that Blaine's an air-headed little twit."

Grace walked back into the kitchen and picked up the bowls of ice cream to carry them to the table. "I didn't really like Blaine that one time he visited with Sam. He reminded me of the super-rich kids at that private school Mom made me go to for so long."

"He never impressed me either," Steve agreed with a soft chuckle. "I don't think Sam ever really _loved_ him, though."

"Stacy told me they hooked up because Sam hates to live alone," Sara agreed, making Steve and Danny look at her in surprise. "She hates Blaine now, she says he was just using Sam and Sam let him because he was so lonely before he and Blaine hooked up. She was talking about us beating Blaine up after he let Sam make him that special dinner and then dumped him for that guy who hurt Kurt so bad, but she never did want to go through with it." She had just finished filling the glasses and wasn't looking at them as she moved to put the pitcher of fruity hibiscus tea back in the fridge. "She was really worried about Sam after Blaine left him because he was so lonely and sad all the time, so she and her mom started trying to get him to move here because he's so happy with the _'ohana_." She returned to the table, smiling suddenly as she added, "I don't think he'll ever be lonely again, though."

"You think he and Akela are that solid?" Danny asked, curious.

"I'm sure they are," Sara replied, smiling as she carefully nestled her bowl of ice cream into the big snack bowl, making sure it couldn't tip. She picked up her drink and the snack bowl then, adding, "Just watch how they look at each other and you'll be sure, too."

Grace nodded quickly, picking up her drink. "They look at each other like you and Super-Steve do when you don't think anyone is watching, Danno."

Danny laughed slightly, surprised as he said, "That doesn't always mean people are _in_ _love_ , girls."

"Not the way guys look at someone they _want_ ," Sara said, rolling her eyes. "That doesn't mean anything, they'll _say_ it's love then to get in someone's pants. We're talking about _love_."

Danny looked seriously at Sara for a moment before he said, "I doubt I want to ask how you know that, Sara, but you're going to be spending a lot of time with Gracie so I kind of feel like I have to."

"I don't sleep around, if that's what you're asking, but guys still try," Sara said, only blushing a little bit. She had sort of walked into it, and she had been warned how over-protective Danny could be of Grace. "And just because I haven't fallen in love doesn't mean I don't know it when I see it." She started towards the living room, adding, "Nana calls it _bashert_ , but _kane i ka 'ili_ is the same thing, the one person who you were meant to be with, your soulmate. Sam and Akela are _kane i ka 'ili_ , I'd bet cash money on it if I had any."

Grace nodded. "I would too." She moved to kiss Danny's cheek, then added, "We're going up to Sara's room to watch Netflix, Danno. There should be a Devils game on the DVR, I set it to record for you a few days ago."

"Thanks, Monkey," Danny replied automatically, still surprised at what Sara had said. "You two have fun, but behave yourselves."

"We will, Danno," Grace agreed, amused as she walked quickly after Sara. "Nothing with naked people, I promise."

"Thank you!" Danny called after her, staring at the empty doorway a moment and thinking about all the things Grace and Sara could see on Netflix if they wanted to. Grace had never had her own television with cable, but Puck had insisted on treating Sara like an adult and not putting any parental controls on her Netflix, which meant Grace had access to all the adult programs on Netflix now too. Danny had been checking the account from work and he knew that so far they had a weird fondness for zombies, _'Firefly_ ' episodes, and ' _My Little Pony_ ' cartoons, which was a combination he was sure he would never make sense of, but he knew it was just a matter of time before they found something like _'Queer as Folk'_.

Danny looked at Steve after a few moments, starting to feel a little panic as he thought about his little angel watching _'Queer As Folk_ ' with all the naked men and graphic gay sex. "My baby girl is growing up, isn't she?"

Steve chuckled softly. "She is." He reached over to put his hand on the nape of Danny's neck to pull him closer and leaned his forehead against Danny's to let Danny just feel how calm he was. They seldom did it in public, mostly because it embarrassed Danny for strangers to see he needed that kind of thing, but it had made the difference a few times when things were rough and Danny was starting to lose it. It always helped Danny to relax, though, and if they stayed together for a minute or two they would be breathing in sync and ready for whatever came next, whether that was making out or walking into a firefight.

After a few moments Danny suddenly moved to sit astride Steve's lap, wrapping his arms around Steve as he leaned his forehead against Steve's again, grateful for the love and support Steve offered so freely. They had been through so much together, and even when it seemed like this time they had no prayer of surviving, much less coming out on top, they always did somehow. He and Steve could handle anything as long as they were together, and after a minute or two he began to relax as he realized that they could handle Grace growing up, too. Steve wouldn't let him screw it up too badly, which was a scary thought in itself, because _Steve_ , but he knew it was true just like he knew he could trust Gracie not to do anything truly terrible. She was mischievous and way too smart for her own good, yes, but she had a heart of gold and Danny knew she had a good head on her shoulders.

Danny and Steve had been sitting there silent and still for a little while when Danny finally murmured, "It's hard to believe she's really fifteen now. When I look at her I still see my beautiful little baby girl."

Steve smiled fondly, holding Danny close as he murmured, "She hasn't been a baby in a long time, _wai 'apo_ , she just goes along with you treating her like one because she loves you so much."

Danny was quiet a moment, sure that was truer than he wanted it to be, and he was dreading the answer as he asked softly, "She's going to bring home a boyfriend soon, isn't she?"

"I think so, yes," Steve agreed as he opened his eyes again to look at Danny, amused by how worried he looked even though he started slowly stroking Danny's back to soothe him. "She's fifteen, and Lukas seems pretty determined to get her attention. She's done everything but beat him up to discourage him, and he just sings her praises a little louder." He chuckled slightly. "Literally. When Kurt picked Grace up from school the other day, Lukas was singing some song named _'Grace Wins'_ to her. Kurt said she was blushing and telling him to stop, but he thinks she really liked it." He paused to let that sink in and then added, "And Lukas reminds Kurt a lot of Noah at that age."

Danny groaned. "She _loves_ Noah."

"I know," Steve agreed, still rubbing Danny's back gently. "I doubt you have to worry about Lukas being _the_ boy, but I expect she'll stop trying to chase him away pretty soon."

"She'll be wanting to go out on dates next then," Danny said glumly, "and he's got a car. No moving violations, though."

Steve smiled. "You ran him?"

Danny flushed. "I had to know what this kid who's been harassing my baby girl is up to."

"He's up to about five-nine, last time I saw him," Steve said dryly, amused.

"His brand new license says five-eleven," Danny corrected. He fell silent a few moments before he spoke again. "She'll kill me if I make her let me go on their first date, won't she?"

"In your sleep, with malice aforethought," Steve agreed, lips twitching for a moment as he got control of the urge to laugh. "We'll just tell them to find a friend for Sara to go with and make it a double date. Sara's been taking care of herself a long time, and she's got a good head on her shoulders. She'll keep Gracie safe."

"Smart." Danny was quiet for a few moments and then muttered, "I bet it won't be long before _they'll_ want to drive."

"Sara is old enough for her permit now," Steve pointed out gently, "and Gracie will be able to get hers in a few months, _wai 'apo_ , so yes. They'll both want to drive soon, and when they do we're going to let Noah teach them because he has the patience of a saint, and we'll figure out what Gracie's first car should be."

Danny swallowed hard. "A Subaru, maybe. They're always top of the safety rankings."

" _Or_ we could get something appropriate for a young girl who loves horses and the beach," Steve said with a little grin, "like a truck or even a Jeep."

Danny's eyes flew open and he pulled away from Steve a bit to stare at him. "Did you have anything to do with Burt getting that Jeep?"

"No, I didn't," Steve replied softly, amused. "But he _did_ ask me what I thought of restoring it for the girls to have as their first car, to share. It's in better shape than he thought, it just needed the engine rebuilt and a lot of small repairs that added up to keep it from running."

Danny looked at Steve for a few moments, thinking about it, and then he admitted grudgingly, "They would probably love a Jeep, and a car for them to share is a good idea. Two girls will always be safer than one alone. They'll be in the same school anyway, and seem to get along pretty well now that they've finally talked to each other."

"I think so too," Steve agreed, smiling. "They seem to have bonded over matchmaking for Sam and Akela, and spending a few days together has helped them realize they have a lot in common." He chuckled softly. "It's good that Kailona needs help with her horses in Maunawili, the way they both love them. I wouldn't be surprised if that's the main place they want to go once they're driving."

"At least that's close," Danny said, "and traffic's not too bad."

"Not many boys out on a horse farm, either," Steve pointed out, smiling. "They were pretty excited that they got to go, and a Jeep would be good for driving on a farm road. It's small enough to be agile, and four wheel drive, but still has a little room for them to haul things if they need to."

"True, but Burt's never going to let us pay what he really spends on that old Renegade, restoring it," Danny pointed out. "It's what, an eighty model?"

"Eighty-four, and no, he probably won't," Steve agreed, "but we didn't let him pay for the Mustang, or even pay for much of what went into restoring it except for the parts Kurt asked him to find."

Danny chuckled. "He gave us hell about that, too."

Steve nodded, amused. "And we did it anyway, so we'll just have to let him help spoil the girls. I'm sure Kono will be in on it too, she's the one who found the Jeep and got Burt such a good deal on it."

Danny laughed. "Of course she is." He finally got up off of Steve's lap again, moving to clear away their empty bowls. "You up for watching a hockey game with me, babe?"

"Sure," Steve agreed, standing up and stretching before he moved to the fridge. "Beer?"

Danny put the bowls in the sink and then moved towards the living room. "Might as well."

Steve grabbed two Longboards and followed Danny, smiling and feeling a little smug. He had expected a lot more of an argument about the Jeep, so he was definitely getting better at bringing up that kind of thing at the right time. Kono and Burt were going to be thrilled. They had already decided to paint the Jeep a deep purple metal-fleck if Danny and Puck agreed to letting the girls share it, and Steve had no doubt that Puck would go along. Sara would love sharing a Jeep with her recently-claimed little sister, and having their freedom on the island once they both had licenses, so Puck was sure to be all for it.

Steve wasn't going to bring up getting the girls their own horses until after Grace started begging for one again. Grace and Sara had been so excited and happy after their day with the horses that they were both glowing while they told the family all about it, so Steve figured it wouldn't be long before Grace brought it up. Getting Danny to agree would take some major effort, especially now that Rachel had decided riding was dangerous, but Steve was already thinking about just how to manage it.

Getting Puck's approval for Sara to have a horse would be easy. She had come home from the stable beaming and actually talkative enough that she had finally opened up a little, talking to everyone and enjoying the conversation. Steve had been surprised and pleased to finally see the smart, funny girl that Sam had insisted was hiding inside that shy girl they had seen so far, and he knew he wasn't the only one who wanted to see more of the real Sara. If going riding was what it took to make Sara happy, then Steve was sure that Puck would be all for that, just like he was.

 

~*~

 

Akela was draped half on top of Sam as he nuzzled Sam's throat, smiling and feeling like he could probably fly if it didn't involve leaving the bed. He and Sam had been kissing and touching lazily in between bouts of lovemaking for hours, and he was pleasantly sore and tired but completely content. He'd likely be asleep if not for his grumbling stomach, which kept reminding him that they forgot all about ordering dinner. It was too late for takeout now, long after midnight, but he wasn't about to get dressed and go out to find food, not while Sam was naked in his bed, sprawled bonelessly and looking entirely too edible for leaving him to possibly seem like a good plan.

"You sound even hungrier than I am," Sam murmured, his voice a low sleepy rumble. He was barely awake, exhausted but feeling so relaxed and satisfied that it was totally worth it. Akela was stronger than Sam and fairly flexible, but Sam could still bend like a pretzel even though muscles he had almost forgotten he had protested when he did. He had been sleeping alone a long time, but the yoga he used to do a couple times a week had paid off and the awed look Akela had given him at one point had made any aches he had in the morning more than worth it.

Akela ran one hand soothingly over Sam's chest, smiling against his neck. "I'll survive, _ku'u ipo_. Missing a meal won't hurt me."

Sam hummed softly and was quiet for a few moments until his stomach growled, sounding particularly loud in the silence. "I could go make something," he offered a moment later, amused.

"Nothing to make," Akela admitted with a soft little chuckle. "I always grab something out."

Sam let out an amused huff that wasn't quite a laugh. "There's _nothing_?"

"Not unless you want vitamin water," Akela said, lifting his head to give Sam an amused look. "Maybe some canned beans or something in the pantry, I'm not sure."

Sam smirked and lifted his hand from Akela's back to stroke Akela's hair as he murmured, "So in other words, you can't cook."

"I can grill just about anything that breathes, or I can dig an _imu_ pit to make _kalua_ ," Akela said, smirking. "Doesn't that count as cooking, _ku'u ipo_?"

"I guess, barely," Sam said, grinning. "Caveman cooking, but it's still food." His stomach rumbled again and he tugged Akela's long hair teasingly as he added, "Let me up, _milinanea_. I'm starving, and there's gotta be _something_ here I can turn into food."

"You can look, but there's really nothing," Akela said with a soft laugh, moving the leg and arm that he had draped over Sam to keep him close.

"We'll have to fix that tomorrow, if I'll be staying," Sam pointed out, still amused.

" _Nou no ka 'i'ini noho_ ," Akela said quietly, shifting to stretch out comfortably on his side and watch as Sam stood up. Even after hours of touching and tasting every inch of him, Akela still couldn't get enough of Sam's body. Sam was all smooth silky skin, his muscles softly defined but not bulked up at all with just a hint of a golden tan everywhere but his ass, which was so pale that Akela was sure it had never seen the light of day. He had seen a lot of people naked over the years, more than a few with bodies they worked hard to maintain as close to perfection as humanly possible, but something about Sam drew him like a magnet anyway. Akela wasn't sure what it was, but he was pretty sure he'd never get tired of it. " _Ho'okahi ko kaua noho pu 'ana._ "

Sam turned to look at Akela, smiling and feeling so happy it made him want to sing. " _'Ae. E pili kaua, ku'u ipo._ "

" _Kau a kau_ ," Akela agreed, his green eyes gentle and loving. " _Aloha aku no, aloha mai no_."

" _Kau a kau_ ," Sam repeated, then added, "We're going grocery shopping tomorrow, or I can go with the girls if you hate it. I'm sure the girls won't mind, Sara's learning to like it now that she's really accepted she can actually get what she wants, and Gracie doesn't mind showing us around."

"Anywhere you are is where I want to be, _ku'u makakehau_ ," Akela murmured, amused. "Even shopping with the girls."

"Then that's our plan," Sam said with a pleased smile.

Akela didn't reply immediately and Sam let himself just stand there a moment to enjoy the view, loving how unashamed Akela was of his body, lying there propped on one elbow as naked as the day he was born. His long dark hair was completely loose for a change and hanging around his shoulders and down his chest, his skin a rich golden brown in the lamplight that was a bit too dark to pass as just tanned, contrasting sharply against the pale blue sheets and the stark black ink of the tattoos on his shoulders, ribs, back, and outer thighs. He looked to Sam like something off the cover of one of the romance novels Stacy was always reading, almost impossibly handsome with sparkling green eyes and a little smile that left no doubt he knew how sexy he was.

Sam's gaze lingered on Akela's tattoos as he remembered how he had enjoyed exploring every bit of inked skin while he made Akela tell him about the different patterns and what they meant to him, which Sam had found fascinating. The designs on his right shoulder were a family pattern that told any _kama'aina_ who had paid attention to their lessons about the old traditions that Akela was a young _Koa_ warrior who was descended from a line of chiefs. The tattoos on Akela's thighs, ribs, and back were traditional _Koa_ warrior markings that had been chosen for him by his grandfather and his uncles, marking him as a warrior trained in the ancient art of _Lua_ , a uniquely Hawaiian fighting style that was rarely taught anymore because few young people were interested in it. The tattoos on Akela's left shoulder weren't finished yet, a wide swirl of geometric patterns with open areas in the center that Akela hadn't decided how to fill. His family usually put something personal into their tattoos on the left side, and Akela hadn't yet found anything important enough to him to make it a permanent part of his body.

"Enjoying what you see?" Akela murmured after a few minutes, making Sam realize he'd been staring for a while.

Sam gave Akela a sheepish little grin, moving to put one knee on the bed and lean down as he said, "You know I do." He kissed Akela, intending to keep it brief so he could go find them something to eat, but Akela grinned against his lips and pulled him down into the bed, making Sam laugh.

Akela rolled them to pin Sam under him, smirking. "Maybe I should just make a meal out of you. You're always _'ono loa_."

Sam didn't reply, just lifting one hand to tangle it in Akela's hair and pull him down for a kiss that started a bit rough but quickly gentled to something slow and sweet that made them both relax and forget what they had been doing as they just enjoyed the simple pleasure of kissing. They were completely lost in each other again when Sam's stomach rumbled loudly, making them both snicker.

Sam pulled away to smile up at Akela, amused and teasing as he murmured, "I plan to snack on you at least once more tonight, _milinanea_ , but first we need some actual food."

Akela's stomach rumbled again and he laughed. " _'Ae_ , food sounds good." He moved off of Sam again, smiling as he added, "We should just go to Zippy's."

Sam rolled to the edge of the bed again and stood, chuckling. "Let me see what's here first." He walked to where his jeans were piled in the floor, bending to pick them up and then stepping into them without any underwear. He wasn't about to cook naked, though he wouldn't bother with finding his shirt. It was in the living room somewhere anyway, so if they did decide to head to Zippy's, it would be on the way to the door. It wouldn't be the first time he ended up going out commando, though it wasn't something he made a habit of.

Akela was smirking as he watched Sam button his jeans. "I'm telling you _, ku'u makakehau_ , there's no food in there. Zippy's isn't as good as Keneke's, but it's decent enough."

"As good as Keneke's is, it would be hard to equal," Sam agreed as he left the bedroom, amused.

The rest of the house was dark as a tomb, but with the bedroom door open Sam had just enough light to see to get to the kitchen light switch. He blinked a few times at the bright lights and then padded barefoot to the door next to the refrigerator, opening it only to laugh in surprise at the sight of a tiny bathroom that held only a toilet and sink. He closed that door and looked around the kitchen, amused. The upper cabinets had no doors, letting him see they were empty or nearly so except for a small stack of plates and a bowls in one and a few mismatched glasses in another. A quick check of the lower cabinets located a few pots and pans, but didn't turn up any food-like objects except for a mostly empty rack of herbs and spices. "Alright, where's the pantry?"

"In the mud room," Akela replied, walking out of the bedroom in his board shorts. He pointed towards the darkened doorway on the other side of the kitchen by the sink, and Sam looked amused as he went to go look. Akela walked to the fridge to get the last bottle of Castaway beer, popping the cap off on the edge of the counter with a practiced tap on his way to the back doorway to watch Sam, amused.

Sam fumbled around a few moments before he found the light switch by the back door and flipped it on, then moved to the tall cabinet he figured had to be the pantry. It was the only thing in the room besides the washer and dryer, so there weren't a lot of options. He opened the doors to look inside, making a face when he saw how little was in there. "You weren't kidding." There was a can of garbanzo beans so old it was rusted around the top, two cans of Veg-All with faded labels that looked ancient, a tiny can of deviled ham, a few tins of sardines in mustard sauce, and a can of cat food.

"Mom took everything she thought they'd eat," Akela pointed out, amused. He took a sip of his beer, then added, "That stuff's all been there for years."

"Years?" Sam repeated, bemused. He couldn't really imagine never eating at home at all. His cabinets in Ohio had all kinds of odds and ends in them, canned veggies, soups, and beans, jars of pasta sauce, boxes of pasta and cereal, snack bars, a jug of gummy bears, and even some canned ravioli because he'd never quite outgrown thinking Chef Boyardee was awesome. None of it was what anyone might call high cuisine, but Sam always had a meal in there of _something_.

"I told you, _ku'u ipo_ , I eat on the way to and from work," Akela said, chuckling softly. "If you know where to go, it's just as cheap to let someone else make the food."

Sam laughed. "Okay, Zippy's it is. I'll go find my shoes."

"You won't need 'em," Akela said, turning to walk towards the front door with his beer. "Zippy's gets a lot of beach traffic, they don't care if we're barefoot."

Sam looked around and found his tank top in the floor by the couch, walking over to pick it up as he said with a wry smile, "I suppose you don't want a shirt, either."

Akela laughed, watching Sam pull the tank top on and tuck it into his jeans. "I'll put on a shirt for you, _ku'u ipo_ , but I've been to Zippy's in my shorts a million times."

Sam walked over and slid his arms around Akela's waist, smiling as he murmured, "I don't mind if you don't. I enjoy looking at you."

"Then we're ready to go," Akela replied quietly, resting his free hand on Sam's hip as he leaned to kiss him lovingly.

Sam purred softly as he returned the kiss, enjoying the relaxed intimacy of just being with someone who so obviously treasured him. He didn't doubt what he was feeling anymore and had stopped trying to avoid calling a spade a spade. Even though it was new, what he felt for Akela was stronger than anything he had ever felt for anyone else he had ever been with, and he didn't care anymore about how crazy it was to have fallen in love so easily.

Akela ended the kiss after a few minutes to look into Sam's eyes, and Sam didn't even consider fighting the urge to murmur, " _Aloha au ia 'oe, milinanea_."

Akela smiled. " _E ho'omau maua ke aloha_."

" _'Amene_." Sam kissed Akela again, both of them smiling, and then Akela's stomach growled loudly again, making them laugh. "Food, then we _kaunu_."

"I like that plan," Akela agreed, grinning as he pulled away to go put his beer on the counter and get his phone and his wallet. "We eating there, or bringing it home?"

"Might as well eat there," Sam replied, moving towards the front door still barefoot. "I doubt it'll be busy at two in the morning and they do free drink refills."

"It'll be close to empty, for sure," Akela agreed, hesitating when he started to grab keys. "Wanna take the Chevelle?"

"Sure," Sam agreed, smiling as he waited just outside the door for Akela to get the right keys and then quickly walk out to join him.

"Cool." Akela closed the front door, not bothering to lock it, and then he grabbed Sam's hand and started to tow him towards the dark bulk of the Chevelle, grinning.

Sam grinned, enjoying how pleased Akela looked as he followed him towards the car, glad that the driveway was a bit overgrown with grass. It was soft and cool under his bare feet, much better than the crushed shells and coral of the McGarrett driveway would have been. He just hoped the Zippy's parking lot really was concrete like he thought he remembered, or Akela would be laughing at him for how tender his feet were. He could count on one hand the number of times he'd been outdoors barefoot in the last year, and every one of them had been in the McGarretts' back yard.

 

~*~

 

It was just after six A.M. when Akela pulled into the McGarrett driveway, but it was no surprise that there were lights on in the house. The _'ohana_ made a habit of being up long before the sun during the week, and the sky was silvery-blue as it lightened in the east with true dawn not far off.

Akela parked the Bug behind the Silverado, sure that it likely wouldn't be needed that day, and then he looked at Sam, smiling even though he still wished they had been able to sleep in. It had been years since he stayed up most of the night and he was definitely out of practice at it, wishing hard for another three or four hours of sleep. "Ready to fend off the _wahines_ , _ku'u ipo ahi_?"

Sam smiled at Akela, amused but feeling about as tired as Akela looked. They had slept maybe three hours, but it was totally worth it as far as Sam was concerned. "They're probably either out swimming or busy making breakfast, _milinanea_."

"Here's hoping they're swimming," Akela murmured, leaning towards Sam with a little smirk. "That hammock looks big enough for two."

"It is." Sam leaned to meet Akela and kissed him slow and easy, then smiled and murmured, "Maybe we can talk them into going back to bed."

"We can hope," Akela agreed, smiling as he kissed Sam again and then pulled away and got out of the Bug to walk to the front of the car.

Sam got out and walked around the Bug to join Akela, who grabbed his hand when Sam got close enough. Sam smiled at Akela and laced their fingers together, leaning to kiss Akela softly again before he whispered, " _Kau a kau_."

Akela returned the smile, his green eyes sparkling and warm. " _Kau a kau, ku'u makakehau_." He kissed Sam again and then started towards the front door of the house, still holding Sam's hand.

Sam walked with Akela into the house, and he had barely closed the door behind himself when Sara called cheerfully from the kitchen, "Right on time! We're all in here."

Akela and Sam looked at each other, amused, and then they walked towards the kitchen. The house smelled delicious already, leaving no doubt that the girls were making breakfast even before they reached the kitchen doorway. Steve, Danny, and Kurt were all on stools around the kitchen island in their shorts, all three with hair still wet from their morning swim and mugs of coffee in front of them. There was a half-empty iced glass of virulent green liquid that could only be Mountain Dew sitting on the table near Kurt, which was obviously where Puck was going to sit.

"Morning, you two," Danny said cheerfully, grinning at Sam and Akela. They were both wearing jeans, which was unusual for Akela, their hair still wet from what Danny would have bet cash money had been a shared shower. One look at them left no doubt how they spent the previous night, a faint love bite on Akela's collarbone and another on Sam's shoulder just peeking out from under his pale blue tank top speaking loudly for how much they had enjoyed themselves. They were obviously happy and standing so close they were touching from shoulder to hip so it took him a moment to notice they were holding hands. They both looked tired, especially Akela, and Danny couldn't resist teasing them a bit. "Sleep well?"

Akela snickered and looked at Sam, who grinned at him, and then Akela looked at Danny and said innocently, "Sleep?  What's that?"

Danny smirked. "Sleep's that thing you do in bed where you close your eyes and lay real still for a few hours, and your brain makes pretty pictures for you to watch until you wake up."

Sam laughed as Akela said cheerfully, "Nah, brah. Who needs sleep?"

"Pretty much everyone on the planet, is all," Danny replied, grinning.

"Some people are worth losing a little shut-eye for," Sam said, amused. He looked at Akela, his grin turning a bit more wicked. "Or a lot."

Akela winked at Sam. "We can sleep when we're dead, _ku'u makakehau._ "

"We'll have fresh mango-pineapple juice in a minute," Grace said, drawing Sam and Akela's attention to her. She was grinning and standing at the counter dressed for the day in dark indigo jeans tucked into tall English riding boots with a pretty red and white Hawaiian print peasant-style blouse, her hair neatly French braided with a pink, white, and gold plumeria flower tucked behind her left ear. She was holding a wicked-looking little knife with a narrow curved blade and deftly removing the dark eyes from a skinned pineapple, a bowl of mango cubes already next to her and the juicer waiting on the counter ready to use.

"The waffles are in the oven," Sara added, glancing over at Sam without moving her head. She was at the stove watching a sizzling griddle pan of sausage patties and bacon while Puck stood behind her already in uniform for the day, French braiding her hair with surprising skill. Sara had a pink hibiscus bloom tucked behind her left ear and was dressed for the day too, wearing black jeans tucked into her combat boots with an oversized red t-shirt that Sam didn't have to see the front of to be pretty sure it was the Deadpool t-shirt Sara had giggled over so much when she found it and then bought even though Wal-Mart didn't have her size. It had a large picture of Deadpool holding several Deadpool comics on it with the words 'I Have ISSUES!'

"And the sausages and bacon are nearly done," Puck added, looking over at Sam as he deftly twisted a hair band around the tail of Sara's braid. "There's a six of Pepper in the pantry, Sam."

Sam brightened and let go of Akela's hand to walk quickly into the pantry while Akela watched, amused. "Thanks, Kurt," Sam said as he disappeared inside.

" _Kurt?!_ " Puck said, laughing as he moved to go get his Mountain Dew.

Sam walked out of the pantry with a bottle of Doctor Pepper and grinned at Puck. "Yeah, 'cause I bet Kurt bought them."

"You wouldn't win that bet," Kurt said, amused.

" _I_ got them when I went out for my Dew!" Puck stuck out his tongue at Sam and sat down by Kurt, putting one hand on the table and lifting his glass with the other as he said, "See if I bother next time." Kurt patted his hand, looking amused even though he didn't comment.

Sam snickered and walked towards the cabinet where they kept the glasses, ruffling Puck's short hair on his way by. "Poor baby Puckasaurus, all taken for granted."

Puck laughed. "Smartass."

Sam smirked, opening the cabinet to start getting out glasses for everyone as he said cheerfully, "You know you love me anyway."

"I do," Puck agreed, amused. "It's a curse."

"Can't agree there, _hoaloha_ ," Akela pointed out, trying not to laugh at them. "I'm enjoying it." He started across the kitchen, stopping at one of the cabinets for an ice bucket and then continuing towards the dining room and the deep freezer as he said, "I'll get the ice."

" _Mahalo, milinanea_ ," Sam replied, looking over his shoulder towards Akela with a pleased smile. "You want Doctor Pepper, Dew, juice, hibiscus tea, coffee, or ...?" He knew Akela sometimes drank any of them, but he wasn't sure what he would want with breakfast. They had only eaten breakfast together a few times, and Akela had something different to drink each time.

"Just some juice for me today, _huapala_ ," Akela replied, disappearing into the dining room. "The fruit smells _'ono_."

" _Mahalo_ , Akela," Grace said as she moved the juicer next to the sink. "I just picked them a little while ago and tried to get the best ones." She put a pitcher under the spout and then started to run the fruit through the juicer, smiling happily as she listened to everyone talk. She loved to be with her _'ohana_ , and even though she felt bad about it sometimes, she was glad that the judge for the last custody hearing had said she could choose which parent to stay with after she turned thirteen. She got to see her Danno all the time now, even though her mother complained often enough that Grace felt guilty if she didn't go visit for at least an hour or two several times a week. Grace felt like little more than a babysitter much of the time at her mother's because Rachel always seemed to disappear and leave Grace taking care of Charlie, but she still visited anyway.

"You did good, _poki'i_ ," Akela said with a soft laugh. "They smell like they're _palaku_."

" _'Oia'i'o_ ," Sam said, then looked at the table. "Danny, Superman? You two want glasses for juice?"

"None of that pineapple-mango monstrosity for me, thanks anyway," Danny said, amused and a little surprised. Akela was from an old _kama'aina_ family and grew up talking Hawaiian at home more often than he spoke English, so it was sure to please him that Sam was learning the language. He had heard Akela, Kono, and Chin complain more than once about how few _kama'aina_ could really speak Hawaiian anymore, and he knew from personal experience that it wasn't an easy language to pick up, which made him wonder just how long ago Sam had fallen for Akela. There was no way that Sam had learned so much in a few days, even as smart as Sam undoubtedly was. "Coffee's more my speed at the crack of dawn."

"I'd like some juice," Steve said, giving Danny an amused look.

Danny made a face at Steve. "Of course you would."

Steve laughed. "Don't worry, _pilikua_ , I won't forget to brush after breakfast."

Danny grinned at Steve, pleased. Even after so long with Steve, who loved pineapple in all its forms, Danny hated the stuff. It was moderately more tolerable if he was tasting it in Steve's mouth, but he'd still rather avoid it if he could.

"Kurt?" Sam asked, amused.

"Yes, please," Kurt replied, smiling at Sam. "Pineapple-mango is my favorite."

"It's really good," Sam agreed, counting to be sure he had enough glasses and then moving them all to the island that doubled as their kitchen table. He started passing them out as he added, "I think the only way to make it better is to add orange juice."

Akela returned from the dining room with a bucket of ice, looking amused. "Think you got enough peppermint ice cream in there, brah?"

Sam grinned at Akela. "One tub isn't that much, _milinanea_."

"There's _five_ tubs in there now, _ipo_ ," Akela said, walking over to join Sam.

Sam laughed, looking at Puck, who looked just a little sheepish. "Five?"

"Just going for some drinks, hmm?" Kurt said, trying very hard not to laugh.

"I had to go in the store anyway for the drinks," Puck said quickly, "and they always sell out of the stuff so fast it's crazy."

Akela laughed. "Right after you find it, _'ae_?"

Sam snickered, nodding, and both Grace and Sara giggled as Puck said quickly, "I'm not the only one around here who loves the stuff!"

Sara was still giggling a bit as she carried a plate piled with sausages and bacon to the table. "It's my favorite too," she said, "besides strawberry cheesecake." She moved to the fridge to get the butter and the two kinds of fruit syrups Steve had helped her make before bed the night before, and then brought them back to the table as she asked, "Does anyone want fruit with their waffles? There's half a thing of blueberries left, and a few strawberries."

Grace carried the pitcher of fresh juice to the table. "We should have had Noah get more while he was out, we eat a lot of fruit." She moved to the drawers by the sink to get silverware for everyone and to grab a pile of the bandannas they used as napkins at meals instead of paper towels.

"I'm sure we'll be fine with the syrups and butter," Steve said, smiling. "We can go by on the way home today for fruit and whatever else we need."

"Don't bother, Steve," Sam said, smiling as he went to get plates. "We need to go shopping today anyway. Akela's fridge and pantry _might_ feed a mouse, if it was desperate."

Sara giggled. "I know what that's like." She grabbed a towel and went to get the sheet pan of waffles out of the oven.

" _Our_ fridge, _ku'u makakehau_ ," Akela corrected, using a glass to start scooping ice into the rest of the glasses Sam had put in the table. " _Noho like,_ remember?"

" _'Ae_ ," Sam agreed, carrying a stack of plates to the table. He stepped in close to Akela, who gave him a warm smile and moved to meet him with a loving kiss that drew a quiet pleased noise from Sam. Sam pulled away after a few moments, smiling softly at Akela as he murmured, " _Kau a kau_." He stepped a bit further away to pass out plates, starting with Puck as he said, "Eat, it's nearly seven already."

Sara grabbed the tongs and carried the sheet pan of waffles to the table, moving to put two on each plate as soon as Sam had given them out.

"My boss won't mind me being late," Kurt said confidently, smiling as he watched Sam and Akela. He still wished that Akela had listened when he tried to get him to meet Sam years ago, but he was so glad they had each other now that he wasn't going to mention it. They were obviously head over heels for each other, and seemed to be deeper in love every time Kurt saw them together, which was the second-best early Christmas present Kurt could ever remember getting. "He's usually driving, so it'll be his fault."

Danny laughed. "That is kind of nice."

"Speak for yourselves," Puck said with a laugh as he put some sausage and a slice of bacon on his plate. "Gabby called while I was out and said we're going to play motorcycle tag today. He logged me in already, but I have to be there by eight or he's going to put me down for K-9 duty tomorrow, bathing the dogs and cleaning out the kennels and runs."

"Eat quickly," Kurt said with a soft laugh.

"At least you're ready to go," Sara pointed out, still moving around the island to put waffles on everyone's plates.

"As soon as I eat, yeah," Puck agreed, munching on a bite of bacon. "I think I'm gonna make it a sandwich and get going, though. I don't want to hit traffic and end up late."

Kurt stood without a word and moved to the cabinet by the sink to get one of the large stainless steel sports bottles for Puck's drink, sure Puck would just grab a warm Mountain Dew from the pantry if he didn't make a cold drink for him.

"Do you want some cheese on your sandwich?" Grace asked, smiling at Puck.

"That sounds good, Monkey," Puck agreed quickly, pleased. "And the honey mustard too, please?"

"Okay," Grace agreed, opening the fridge to get out the sliced pepper jack cheese Puck liked and the squeeze bottle of honey mustard.

Sara put the sheet pan with the last three waffles on the stove by the griddle pan, then moved to the table to take a seat. "I should have made you some eggs to go on it, Noah."

"Nah, I don't want any eggs," Puck disagreed, quickly squirting mustard onto his waffles and then adding the cheese and two sausage patties. "Waffles and meat with cheese is more my speed today, bittygirl, but thanks."

Kurt ducked into the pantry a moment and then walked back to the table with a couple of squares of paper-lined foil, a bottle of Mountain Dew, and the empty sports bottle. He offered Puck the foil squares, which they bought in bulk because they used them so often when they had to grab food and go. "Here darling, wrap your sandwich."

"Thanks, babe," Puck agreed, putting the papers on the table so that they overlapped and then putting his sandwich on top, folding the papers neatly around it so he could easily eat without unwrapping the sandwich completely.

Kurt poured Puck's iced Mountain Dew into the sports bottle and then added more ice and topped it off with the extra bottle of Mountain Dew before he screwed the lid of the sports bottle on tightly. "Make sure you stop and refill this when you get thirsty later, sweetheart. It's going to be hot to be riding around on a bike in a black uniform."

"I will," Puck agreed, standing up. "C'mere you."

Kurt smiled and put the sports bottle on the table by Puck's sandwich, then moved into Puck's arms as he murmured, "Love you."

"Love you too, baby," Puck replied, smiling as he held Kurt close and kissed him, slow and lingering. When they finally pulled apart, Kurt stepped back and moved to his seat at the island while Puck grabbed the sports bottle and his sandwich. "See y'all tonight," he said cheerfully. "Sam, if you see more peppermint ice cream today..."

"I'll check the deep freeze before we go," Sam said quickly, amused. "If there's room for more, I'll get it if I see any."

"Knew you love me," Puck said smugly, heading for the door. "Akela's a lucky man."

" _'Ae_ , I am," Akela agreed, smirking. "But you have no idea how lucky, _hoaloha_."

"I've got my forever," Puck said cheerfully, crossing the living room. "Best birthday present I ever got!"

"So do I," Akela called as he looked at Sam, smiling. " _Mele Kalikimaka_ to me."

"To us," Sam corrected, smiling at Akela as he heard the front door close. " _Nau ko'u aloha_."

"Love hearing that, _ku'u makakehau_ ," Akela murmured, smirking.

"I kinda like saying it, too," Sam admitted with a grin, leaning to kiss Akela quickly before he turned his attention to his waffles to start buttering them.

"I'm so happy for you two," Kurt said suddenly, making Sam look up. Kurt was beaming, his blue eyes bright and sparkling. "I always thought you would get along, but I didn't dare hope you'd fall for each other so quickly."

Sam looked at Akela, his grin softening into a sweet, loving smile. "I wouldn't have believed it could happen like this."

" _'Ae_ ," Akela agreed, smiling at Sam and loving the look in his eyes. "I never dreamed I could be so lucky."

"I think the girls are right about you two being _kane i ka 'ili_ ," Steve said, making Sam and Akela both look at him in surprise. Steve was smiling as he added, "I remember what it was like, meeting Danno. I couldn't get him off my mind." He looked at Danny, smiling wider. "Still haven't, but now I don't even want to."

"I didn't know it was love then," Danny said quietly, smiling, "but I felt pretty much the same thing. You fascinated me even when I wanted to shoot you."

Sam chuckled and looked at Akela, smiling. "I know that feeling well, minus the shooting part."

Akela laughed. "Glad to hear that. I like all my parts where they are, _ku'u ipo_."

Sam grinned. "So do I, _milinanea_."

"That's enough about _parts_ ," Danny said quellingly, trying not to laugh. "Little pictures have big ears."

Grace giggled. "Just don't ask what we learned in health class last year, Danno."

Danny pointed at her with a piece of bacon, amused. "That class never happened, remember? Just forget all about the stuff that woman taught you."

"What about what Mary taught me?" Grace asked, trying to look innocent.

Danny's eyes went wide. "Steven! What has _your sister_ been teaching my baby girl?!"

"I don't know," Steve said immediately, amused. "I didn't do it."

"We agreed she wouldn't be telling Grace how to deal with boys, Steven!" Danny replied quickly, still wide-eyed. "We made it a rule! Boy advice only from anyone who's not Mary!"

Kurt, Sam, and Akela all laughed at that while Grace and Sara both giggled.

"Did you ever tell Mary that?" Steve asked reasonably, still amused.

"She's _your_ sister!" Danny exclaimed. " _You_ should have told her!"

"So I shouldn't make a boy come to Sunday dinner with the _'ohana_ before I go out with him?" Grace asked, stifling her giggles and trying hard again to look innocent.

Danny stared at her. "Mary told you that?"

Grace nodded. "She said that if the _'ohana_ likes him, then I did good. If not, throw him back and try again.”

Steve grinned. "Sounds like good advice to me."

Kurt laughed and nodded. "Very smart."

"Start with introducing _me_ ," Sara volunteered, grinning. "If I think he's good enough for you, _then_ we can bring him home."

Grace giggled. "Sounds good. I know you can handle any boy."

"That's right," Sara agreed, grinning. "I've got stompy boots and I know how to use them."

Grace giggled, nodding, and Danny looked at Steve. "I think it's time for more self defense lessons."

"I already know how to kick like a mule," Sara said cheerfully. "I can make a guy forget all about bothering me or Grace, I promise."

Kurt laughed, looking at Sara as he teased, "A solid high kick will get you out of a lot of situations."

"I know," Sara agreed, smirking. "No guy wants to mess with me twice."

"Stacy has told me about how you deal with pushy boys," Sam said, amused. "Wasn't there one you gave a permanent limp to?"

Grace giggled, a bit wide-eyed as Sara laughed and said, "It wasn't permanent! Just for a week. He had it coming, though. I bent over to pick up something that fell out of my locker, and he grabbed my ass and started feeling me up to impress his meathead buddies." She smirked, smug. "Last I saw him, he was still afraid to get within six feet of me, or any other girl if I was watching."

Danny grinned even though he didn't like the idea that Sara had felt like she had to protect herself. "You're just the kind of cousin Gracie needs at school with her."

Grace giggled. "Danno!  Nobody bothers me at school! _Everyone_ knows you and Super-Steve are my dads, and Kurt and Noah and Akela are my big brothers. Most boys hardly even _talk_ to me."

"Except Lukas," Kurt said teasingly, making Grace blush slightly. "He seems to think you're pretty special."

"Lukas is _crazy_ ," Grace said quickly. "He doesn't count."

"Crazy about you, from what I hear," Sam pointed out, amused by how Grace blushed even redder. "Didn't someone say he's been singing to you?"

"It's _so embarrassing_!" Grace said, going wide-eyed and beet red at the memory. " _Everyone_ teases me about him, even some of my _teachers_!"

"Is he hideous or something?" Sara asked, grinning at Grace.

Grace blinked, still red-faced. "No! What makes you think that? Lukas is _adorable_."

"If he's cute and he thinks you're amazing, then why don't you like him?" Sara asked reasonably, amused.

"He just...  He _embarrasses_ me all the time," Grace said quickly, still blushing. "He's always making people stare at me and laugh."

"He's just trying to get your attention," Kurt said, amused. Grace looked at him and he added, "Akela used to do the same to me in school. He drove me crazy."

"When you weren't busy making out with him," Sam pointed out, amused.

Kurt laughed, looking at Akela with a wry smile. "Yes, that did happen a lot more often than it should have."

"Not your fault you couldn't resist me, _hoapili_ ," Akela said cheerfully, smirking. "You hadn't ever been kissed before me, not the right way."

Kurt laughed. "I definitely hadn't." He smirked, teasing, "And as I recall, you were pretty good at it, even back then. Not as amazing as Noah, but then, no one is."

Sam smirked, looking at Akela. "I think you must have gotten better with age, like a fine whiskey."

Akela grinned at Sam, green eyes sparkling. "Whiskey, _kumu_?"

Sam's smirk turned very wicked and Danny laughed as he said quickly, "Okay, no, stop right there!" Sam and Akela both looked at him, surprised, and Danny said firmly, "Nobody needs to hear about anything you two are doing below the belt."

Steve laughed. "Danno, how do you get from fine whiskey to below the belt?"

Danny pointed at Sam, who looked a little guilty. "I could see what he was thinking!"

Sam was blushing as he said quickly, "I wouldn't have said anything in front of the girls, though! They're our little _sisters_."

" _'Ae_ , not gonna go there," Akela agreed, amused. "The _poki'i_ might like if we did, but they're outta luck."

Grace and Sara both giggled at that, blushing, and Steve chuckled as he stood to clear away the empty plates. "They're teenagers, Danno. I'm sure they've heard worse by now."

"A lot, going by what I remember of school," Kurt agreed, snickering as he stood to go get a travel mug down. "Anyone besides me want to take coffee today?"

"Me," Danny said quickly, then looked at the girls. "And I know I'm going to regret asking this, but just what would high school be rated these days? PG?"

Grace blinked and started giggling as Sara grinned at Danny. "PG-13 if a teacher is within earshot, maybe. Hard R if not. Sometimes worse. At least, that's how it is in Lima." She looked at Grace. "How about here?"

"Private school was very PG rated," Grace said, still giggling slightly, "but Kailua High is more like R if there's no teachers around. Mostly just for language though, not like, nakedness or anything." She paused and then added, "Well, except in the boys locker rooms. There's all _kinds_ of rumors about things that go on in there."

Kurt laughed as he put two travel mugs on the counter. "When I was there, the boys locker rooms were kind of like that scene in _'Steel Magnolias_ ' where Olympia Dukakis is in the locker room with all the naked men."

"And you were that snarky little old lady who didn't know where to look," Akela agreed, laughing.

"Mostly, yes," Kurt agreed, amused as he reached for the coffee pot. "It was...  enlightening."

Sara laughed. "Had you ever seen a naked boy before?"

"Besides me?" Kurt asked dryly as he filled a mug for Danny. "Not up close and personal, no." He glanced at Akela, amused. "Someone made sure to flash me as often as possible after he figured that out, though."

"You know you liked it," Akela said teasingly, smirking. "I wasn't the only one I caught you looking at, either. You thought Jason was pretty, I know."

Kurt laughed, blushing slightly. "You thought so too! You were _always_ leering at him."

"I thought you and Blaine were together before you left," Sam said, amused and changing the subject slightly before Kurt or Akela could give the girls any more details. The last thing anyone needed was for them to get the idea to sneak into the boys' locker room. He remembered the locker room in Lima well, though not fondly, but Kurt had told him back when they were still in high school that Kailua's locker room had been a whole new world. Guys in Lima hadn't often wandered around naked, except for Puck, but in Kailua it was normal to see half the guys in the locker room naked at some point.

"We never got very far," Kurt said, blushing more as he put the coffee pot back. "Kissing him wasn't what I wanted it to be like, and then he got a little handsy and all of a sudden I was across the room." He laughed softly, putting the lids on the travel mugs. "We never even kissed again after that."

"You never ran from me," Akela pointed out, surprised.

"I didn't have to," Kurt agreed, amused. "You didn't try to push me for anything I wasn't ready for."

Akela snorted. "Yep, that proves it. Blaine is a pedigreed _kamipulu_."

Sam chuckled. "He does have a tendency to act like one sometimes, got to admit."

"Y'know, I just realized," Danny said suddenly, "Kurt, you and Sam have dated pretty much the same guys, at least when you got serious."

"Sam and I have always had a lot in common," Kurt agreed, smiling wryly. "We even dated the same _girl_."

"Brit doesn't really count for you, though," Sam said with a wide grin, shifting on his stool to get more comfortable. "She and Santana both complained that they didn't get your V card before you left."

Kurt started towards the living room with the two travel mugs, blushing. "Brit got further with me than Blaine did. That was more than enough, considering I'm _gay_."

Akela laughed. "You really dated a girl, _hoapili_?"

"Kind of, yeah," Kurt replied, putting the travel mugs on the table by the front door and then heading for the stairs. "Ask Sam sometime when you're alone, he knows the whole story. I need to go get ready for work. You should too, boss!"

"We all should," Steve agreed, putting his dishes into the drain rack and then starting after Kurt. "It'll be nine before we make it to HQ."

Danny stood to follow Steve. "Dinner's your responsibility again today, girls. Takeout was nice yesterday, but you know it doesn't count."

"We'll remember, Danno," Grace agreed quickly. "Be safe today."

"Always, Monkey," Danny replied, glancing back from the kitchen doorway. "Make sure you take your helmet to wear around the horses."

"Promise," Grace agreed, beaming.

Danny smiled. "Good girl." He disappeared into the living room, calling, "Steven, I get to drive my car today!"

"If you make it worth my while!" Steve called back from upstairs, sounding amused.

"How about I don't make you walk to work?" Danny called back, laughing as he started quickly up the stairs. "That worth it to you?"

"I could take my truck," Steve countered. "Try again."

Danny laughed and whatever his reply was, it was too quiet for the four still in the kitchen to hear.

"We can get something to cook while we're at the store," Sara said, smiling at Grace. "I'm sure we can make something everyone will like."

"Yeah, nobody's really very picky," Grace agreed. "As long as there's meat Noah and Danno will be happy, but Kurt and Super-Steve say it has to have protein, veg, and carbs to be a real meal."

Sara nodded. "Kurt and Noah already told me about making sure every meal has veggies, meat, and some kind of healthy carb."

"It's easy to do," Grace agreed, smiling. "The only exception is breakfast. A lot of the time we just have something quick and easy when we're in a hurry."

"Speaking of, you girls made breakfast," Sam said, smiling at Grace and Sara when they looked at him. He was glad that Kurt and Puck had taken time to sit Sara down the day after she arrived to lay down the law about her eating a balanced diet. She was already gaining a little weight she had desperately needed, and Sam was sure that the benefits were just beginning to show. "I'll make dinner, I don't mind." He looked at Akela, adding, "I might even put you to work on the grill."

Akela grinned. "You could let _me_ make dinner, _ku'u ipo_. I haven't cooked in months, but I can get by well enough. Steaks and shrimp with grilled veg and brown rice sound good?"

"We can work together then," Sam replied, smiling. "We'll have to see what looks good when we stop to do the shopping this afternoon."

"Works for me," Akela agreed, nodding.

"Are we going to go ride this morning?" Sara asked hopefully.

Sam looked at Akela, amused, and Akela winked at him, then smirked at the girls. "Kai texted me last night, said you gotta earn your rides if you wanna go out again today."

"How?" Grace asked quickly, grinning and bright-eyed. "We don't mind work."

"We'll do whatever it is," Sara added, grinning too.

"Mucking stalls," Akela said easily, smirking and expecting the girls to complain. Keli always hated it when she got stall duty, which happened a few days a week when there was no school. There were a few hired hands on the farm that did most of the day-to-day care for the horses, but the hands got their holidays whenever there was a school holiday and the family could take care of all the chores, not just the riding. Summers, the hands did the chores four days a week so that the family could concentrate more on training and showing, which made a lot of the money to support their personal horses.

"That's all?" Grace asked, surprised. "That's just part of having horses!"

"The stalls were already clean when we got there yesterday," Sara added. "I checked, I thought they might need help with it."

"Today they won't be." Akela smiled at the girls, pleased. "Keli did the stalls in the big boarding barn yesterday morning, but today you girls are going to get them, then you can ride. Kai's got a dozen horses that need a good ride put on them, so if you get the stalls done fast you can ride more than once." He looked at Sara, adding, "You'll have to try English today though. The farm only has a few horses trained Western."

"I'll help you with it," Grace said quickly, smiling at Sara. "It's not hard at all."

Sara was smiling as she nodded. "Help would be good, but I hope I can manage. I was watching you yesterday and it didn't look too different."

"I'm sure you can do it," Grace agreed, getting up with her plate and glass. "Sam, do you and Akela want the leftovers, since your fridge is empty?"

"No, that's okay," Sam replied, getting up. "I'll clear away and get the dishes while you two go get your things for today."

"Okay," Grace agreed. "I need to grab my purse for later."

Sara hurriedly finished her coffee and then stood with her plate and mug to carry them to the sink. "I need my bag too. I thought I'd take my backpack today so I'd have room to carry water."

"Good idea," Grace agreed, beaming as she started towards the living room. "Maybe some trail mix or something too?"

Sara nodded, grinning as she followed Grace. "Or the fruit and nut Kashi bars, there's some in the pantry and they'd be easier to eat while we ride."

"Don't forget your helmet, _Keko_ ," Akela said, smiling as he watched the girls leave the kitchen together. He had finished his breakfast well before Sam did, though he was still sipping at the last of his juice.

"I won't forget," Grace called back.

"Speaking of, we need to find somewhere to get Sara a helmet, _milinanea_ ," Sam said quietly, moving into the pantry to get Ziploc bags for the leftovers. "I noticed the one she borrowed yesterday didn't fit right."

"For sure, _ku'u ipo_ ," Akela agreed. He stood and moved to the sink with his dishes, turning on the hot water as he added, "If she's riding much she'll need her own. There's a place in Waimanalo will have it."

Sam returned to the counter with a couple of zip bags to put away the leftover sausage patties and waffles, smiling. "Awesome. Should we go there first, or get it after lunch?"

Akela worked quickly, washing the few dishes in the sink as he said quietly, "It can wait until lunch time, I think. We can eat in Waimanalo and then go by the ranch store before we get groceries."

"Sounds good to me." Sam put the waffles and sausage in the freezer and then moved to lean against the counter by the sink, smiling as he watched Akela finishing the dishes. "I was going to get those."

"I can wash a few dishes, _ku'u ipo_ ," Akela murmured, amused as he reached for the sheet pan that the waffles had been on. "Why don't you check the pantry, see what's running low?"

"Good idea," Sam agreed, moving closer to kiss Akela's cheek lightly before he walked to the pantry. "Are we going to do our shopping at the same time, or go again later?"

"Best to get ours on the way home after dinner, I think," Akela replied.

Kurt hurried into the kitchen, dressed for work and smiling as he said, "I almost forgot to give you the grocery list."

Sam stepped back out of the pantry, amused. "I was just looking to see what you needed."

"I made a list last night," Kurt said, moving to the counter to tear off the top sheet of the notepad that was always there by the fridge. "We don't need much, mostly fresh fruit and produce and something for dinner, unless you want to cook pork."

"We'll find something," Sam said reassuringly, smiling at Kurt as he accepted the list.

"I know you will," Kurt agreed, smiling quickly.

"Kurt, let's go!" Danny called, opening the front door to head out with Steve right behind him.

"Coming!" Kurt started towards the door again. "Thank you both for helping out."

"That's what _'ohana_ does, _hoapili_ ," Akela pointed out, moving the griddle pan to the sink to rinse it clean. It was cast iron and soap would ruin the nonstick coating built up by years of careful seasoning, so all it needed was a good rinse in hot water. He would dry it afterwards and then rub a thin coat of oil on it and put it away in the oven until it was needed again.

"Use Sara's card for groceries," Kurt said as he started towards the door, "and anything she or Gracie might need. There's plenty on there."

"Will do," Sam agreed, amused.

"Be good today, girls!" Kurt called as he grabbed his travel mug of coffee.

"Promise," Sara called back, moving to the upstairs railing to look down at Kurt. "Take care of each other today!"

"We will," Kurt promised, smiling up at her. "See you later." He didn't wait for a reply before he was out the front door and gone.

Grace hurried to join Sara a few moments later and then both girls headed back down to the kitchen, where Sam was drying dishes to put them away while Akela finished up oiling the griddle pan.

Sam looked up when the girls walked into the kitchen, smiling at them. "Have a look at the list, _poki'i_. See if there's anything you want to add."

"Okay," Grace agreed, moving to the table to get the list, her purse over her shoulder with her riding helmet buckled around the strap of her purse and hanging against her hip. "I'll see how much room there is in the deep freeze, too."

"And I'll grab our drinks and a snack for later," Sara added, moving to the fridge with the leather backpack she was carrying. It only took her a moment to put four bottles of cold water out of the bottom drawer of the fridge into her bag, just in case Sam and Akela wanted one later, and then she went in the pantry to get a few fruit and nut bars. "We might need more water bottles, there's only half a dozen left in the fridge."

"There's plenty in the garage," Grace said quickly, walking into the dining room to check the deep freeze. "Kurt found a sale last week, there's like eight cases left."

Sam finished up drying dishes and putting them away while Akela wiped excess oil off of the griddle, and by the time Sara was shrugging into the straps on her bag, they were all ready to go. A few moments later the four of them were heading out for the day, cheerfully discussing the grocery list and ideas for what to make for dinner that night.

 

~*~

 

The girls went straight to the big boarding barn to get busy on stalls when they arrived, but Kailona already had Powa, Malohi, and a black mare saddled and waiting to take Akela and Sam out on the cross-country course with her. She rode Powa on the way out with Sam on Malohi again and Akela on Magic, a spirited black Arabian mare owned by one of the boarders.

Magic’s owner was too pregnant to ride at the moment, so Kailona and her mother, Nalani, had been riding the mare once a week to be sure Magic didn’t forget her training. Magic was full of energy but she didn’t have a mean bone in her body and her antics were more playful than anything else, though even playing she would have been too much horse for many people. She had spent most of the last week in a stall and she was very restless because of it, prancing and shying at shadows, but Akela had been riding since he was five and he had no trouble controlling her. Akela didn’t love horses like Kailona did, but he liked them and had developed enough skill over the last twenty years to handle any horse on the property, though he hadn’t ever bothered to learn the finer points of training one.

Sam was glad to be on Malohi again. The quiet chestnut gelding was comfortingly familiar and felt safe enough to give Sam the confidence to canter along without any of the worry he had felt heading out on his first ride, letting him enjoy watching the other horses, particularly Magic. She was a real beauty as far as Sam was concerned, and he spent most of the ride out to the cross-country course watching her with a little awe. She reminded him of the ' _Black Stallion_ ' movies his little sister loved, very spirited and graceful as she leaped and pranced, her long tail flagged and her delicate head held high, ears picked forward and dark eyes shining with mischief.

Magic had insisted on leading the way, but Powa was fairly calm that morning even with Kailona riding him and didn’t argue when she reined him back to let Magic lead. Kailona was amazed by the change in the grey when he was ridden away from the arena, jogging along quietly by Malohi while he watched Magic with interest, and by the time they reached the gate to the cross-country course she was sure that Akela was right. Powa was never going to be the show jumper her mother wanted him to be, not unless they could somehow convince him arena work was fun. He acted like a different horse out on the track leading to the cross-country course than he did in the arena, calm and relaxed instead of constantly testing her to see if he could run off with her.

Kailona's mother, Nalani, was already out on the course with Shah, her bay Arabian stallion, and when she saw them approaching she smiled and waved. " _Aloha_! It's a beautiful morning for a good gallop!" She reined Shah to a halt to wait for them to join her, watching them approach, and when they got close she said, "Powa's doing so much better today, Kailona! Looks like you're finally making some progress!"

"It wasn't me, Mama," Kailona admitted, smiling wryly as she stopped Powa about ten feet from Shah. Powa was usually willing to behave under saddle as far as other horses went, but the two stallions didn’t like each other and Kai would rather be safe than sorry, especially with Magic along for them to show off for. "Akela took him out yesterday and had him flying over the cross-country course like he's been doing it all his life. He thinks Powa just hates the arena, and I'm starting to agree."

Malohi stopped next to Powa, who he was getting used to following, and Sam didn’t argue. Magic looked like she might act up for a while about being told to stop, tossing her head and still refusing to stop moving her feet, but Powa was just standing quietly watching her.

Nalani looked at Akela, surprised. Shah stood still under her despite the way his ears were pinned back as he glared at Powa, long past thinking he could get away with acting up while he was being ridden even though he normally would have attacked Powa for getting so close to him. He had been Nalani’s favorite mount for over ten years and was used to being ridden around horses of all kinds, even other stallions, but he had never learned to pretend he liked it. "He didn't give you any trouble at all?"

"He loved it," Akela replied, amused. Magic was fidgeting and fussy about being asked to stop, but he was keeping her fairly still anyway, though not without some effort on his part. "I keep telling you, Mama Nalani, he just isn't going to make a show jumper. It's boring to him."

“There’s no market for a cross country horse here,” Nalani pointed out, “and jumping is jumping.”

“Maybe to you, Mama Nalani, but not to Powa,” Akela replied, amused. “After watching Kai with him in the arena yesterday I took him out here expecting to just let him run off some steam while Gracie schooled Hulahe over the low course, but Powa never hesitated to jump anything I pointed him at. He even took the high end of the bank jump, both ways.” The jump he was talking about was barely three feet high from one direction, but it was built on the edge of a bank so that if a horse went at it from the opposite direction it was a good solid five feet or a bit more. “He could clear six foot easy for me if he wanted to.”

“Getting him to want to is the problem,” Kailona added. “In the arena, he definitely does _not_ want to, Mama. I worked him for an hour yesterday before Akela showed up to help with the day’s rides, and I got him over just four jumps. He would jump once or twice and then charge through anything else I pointed him at.”

“We could try to make the arena jumps harder for him to knock apart,” Nalani said. “If he runs into one and it hurts, maybe he’ll start jumping them.”

“Or maybe he’ll break a leg,” Kailona pointed out, frowning. “Or refuse to go into the arena at all like he did when he got hurt playing polo.”

Nalani made a face as she looked at Powa, who was standing quietly next to Malohi looking kind of bored. “The way my luck with him is going, he probably would.”

“Why do you want so badly to turn him into something he’s not, Mama Nalani?” Akela asked, reining Magic in when she tried to walk off and making her move over to stand next to Malohi. Nalani looked at him, surprised, and Akela added, “With his polo career you could put him at stud and make good money, and if we do a few videos of Kai riding him over the higher jumps out here I bet you would get some fees from show jumping breeders here in the islands, too. He could _sire_ show jumpers, he just doesn’t want to play that game himself.”

“If we did frozen, Mama, we could ship anywhere,” Kailona said, brightening. “Even just advertising in polo circles would bring in enough stud fees to pay his way. Richard was always bragging about how he turned down offers from those Argentine players, and I bet at least some of the ones who wanted to buy him would breed to him if they got a chance.”

“We don’t need another stallion,” Nalani pointed out, “especially one who jumps fences. All we need is for him to get in with one of the more expensive boarded mares, and we’d be sued.”

“He can’t jump out anymore, though,” Kailona said quickly, “not since I got Jason out to raise the fence on the front stallion run. The pipe fence is over eight feet tall now, and even Powa can’t _fly_.”

“Maybe so, but the first time someone makes a mistake with him, it will cost us money,” Nalani pointed out. “The plan was to get him jumping and sell him.”

Akela looked thoughtful. “Would you board him for me if I bought him?”

Nalani stared at him. “Akela, you can’t be serious. You’ve never wanted a horse of your own!”

“Powa’s too good to throw him away just because he won’t play hobby horse for you,” Akela replied. “Kai’s right, he’d pay his own way at stud, and he’s a finished riding horse that’s a lot of fun to ride. It’s not like you paid what he’s _worth_. Richard sold him to you for a song because he didn't think you could ever make a show jumper out of him like you want.” He paused slightly, then added, "And he was right."

Nalani looked at Powa a long moment and then at Kailona again. “If we do this, he’d be _your_ responsibility, Kai. You would have to handle everything from advertising him to taking him up to the vet to be collected, and the first time he gets in with a boarder’s mare, he’s getting gelded.”

“He’s my responsibility now anyway,” Kailona replied reasonably. “I think it could work out well for us, Mama, and Akela will help when I don’t have time to ride him.”

“I don’t mind, when I have time,” Akela agreed, nodding. “Grace and Sara will be wanting to come out here anyway.” He looked at Sam. “Would you mind coming out a couple times a week, _kumu_?”

“Not at all.” Sam smiled at Akela, adding, “I’ll likely be bringing the girls here after school most days anyway unless they only ride on weekends. You’ll be working North Shore next, but the kind of work I do can be done pretty much anywhere I can get a wifi signal.”

“Grace and Sara are the girls you had out here yesterday?” Nalani asked, making the others look at her again. “Keli mentioned that you brought some girls her age who took out Hulahe and Jasmine.”

Akela nodded, smiling. “Yeah, you remember Kurt?” Nalani nodded, looking a little confused, and Akela went on, “Sara is his husband’s baby sister, and Grace is his uncle Danny’s girl. Kai told me she needed help getting the horses ridden, so I brought them out. Grace used to ride show jumpers and was learning polo, and Sara was on her grandpa’s Quarter Horses before she could walk.”

“Kailona, we’re trying to make _money_ , here,” Nalani said pointedly. “ _Not_ giving free pony rides to your friends.”

“I had too many horses to ride with Keli not wanting to do her share,” Kailona said quickly, “and Akela got _four_ of them out of my way. The girls are good riders, better than a lot of our borders, and they were glad to come help me.”

“To get _free rides_ ,” Nalani added, “when we usually get seventy-five an _hour_.”

“They’re not just here for a free ride. The girls are in the boarding barn mucking stalls right now, Mama,” Kailona pointed out, grinning at her mother’s surprise. “I wanted to be sure they really want to help.”

“They didn’t argue at all when Akela said they have to muck stalls before they can ride today,” Sam pointed out, amused. “I was proud of them. And they’ll have their own riding helmets by tomorrow. Grace has hers and her riding boots on today, but we have to get Sara one. The combat boots she has on will work alright to ride in for now, I think. She’s not going to be show jumping or anything, and she just got them.”

Nalani looked at Sam. “And you are?”

“Sam Evans,” Sam replied with a sheepish grin. “Sorry, ma’am. I’m Akela’s…” He looked at Akela. “What are you calling me, anyway?”

Akela grinned at Sam. “Mine.” Sam laughed softly, amused, and Akela grinned a bit wider as he looked at Nalani. “Sam’s my _pili’ao’ao_.”

“English please,” Nalani said. “Not every _kama’aina_ speaks Hawaiian, ‘Kela honey. Kailona learned what she knows from you, remember?”

“Sorry Mama Nalani,” Akela said with a surprised laugh. “I thought you’d know that one. I said he’s living with me.”

Nalani’s eyebrows went up. “As a roommate, ‘Kela, or a boyfriend?”

“Boyfriend isn’t enough to say what he is to me, Mama Nalani,” Akela said simply, smiling. “I love him. Partner, maybe.” He looked at Sam. “Right?”

“Partner works,” Sam agreed, still amused. “Not exactly what _pili’ao’ao_ means, but close enough.”

“Akela, why would _you_ ask Sam what it means?” Nalani asked, surprised. “He’s a _haole_.”

Akela laughed. “No, Mama Nalani, he’s _not_ a _haole_ , he’s a _malihini_. And I know what it means, I was asking if he thinks partner is close enough for what _we_ are. _Pili'ao'ao_ means more than that.”

“Oh,” Nalani said, bemused. She gave Sam a curious look. “How do _you_ know Hawaiian? You don’t exactly look or sound like a local.”

“No ma’am,” Sam agreed, amused and just a bit sheepish. “I’m from Ohio, but I've been thinking about moving out here for a long time, and I’ve always had a bit of a thing for languages. I’ve been learning it for about a year.”

“Before or after you visited in February?” Akela asked, curious.

“I started learning before then,” Sam admitted. “There was someone I wanted to understand better.”

Akela’s eyes widened a bit. “Didn’t you come out here right after Blaine walked out, _ipo_?”

“I did,” Sam agreed, “but I was sleeping on the couch for weeks before that, and I was planning to visit soon. I could tell it was over, I just wanted him to admit it to me himself.” He snorted softly and gave Akela a wry little smile. “Imagine how thrilled I was to get the ‘we’re better as friends’ speech and then find out from another supposed friend the next morning that he’d been seeing someone behind my back for _months_ and everyone knew it but me.”

“Ouch,” Kailona murmured, giving Sam a sympathetic look.

“So yeah. That he left wasn’t what messed me up enough to hop on a plane the next day,” Sam said, still wry. “I knew it was over, it was the why and how that got to me.”

“And that _kanapapiki_ he chose,” Akela agreed. “I gotta ask, though. Why did you stay here a _month_ after that, _ipo_?”

Sam laughed and blushed. “No comment, on the grounds it would totally feed your ego.”

“You were waiting for me?” Akela half-asked, surprised and starting to smile.

“It’s possible,” Sam admitted, still blushing. “I would have stayed when you finally _did_ show up, _milinanea_ , but by then Sara needed me pretty bad and I knew that I could try again to get to know you. Kurt made sure I knew you weren’t dating anyone and hadn’t been in a while.”

Akela smirked. “No wonder you were so glad to see me on Sunday.”

“It was definitely the start of a good day,” Sam agreed, still blushing a bit even though he was amused.

“And it only got better from there,” Akela added, still looking smug. “ _Na’u ‘oe_.”

Sam smiled softly, feeling a rush of love. “ _'_ _Ae. Apau nau_.”

“They’re totally _kane i ka ‘ili_ , Mama,” Kailona said suddenly, making Akela and Sam both look at her in surprise. She didn’t seem to notice, smiling happily at her mother.  “I know you know what that one means.”

“Yes, I do,” Nalani agreed, surprised as she looked at Akela. “I didn’t think you had anyone special, ‘Kela.”

“I didn’t,” Akela agreed, amused. “I knew who he was and that I wanted to know him a lot better, but we had only met a few times before this weekend.” He looked at Sam, his grin softening as he added, “I don’t have any doubts about this, though.”

“Me either, _milinanea_ ,” Sam murmured, smiling at Akela.

“They’re totally in love, Mama,” Kailona said happily. “I would have said anyone who told me Akela could fall so hard was crazy until I watched them together. They’re adorable.”

Akela chuckled slightly and then admitted, “I would have said the same, Kai.” He looked at Sam, smiling. “Once I kissed him, though, it was all over with. The best day of my life was the day I met him.”

Sam smiled back at Akela, teasing, “It just took us about four years to figure that out.”

Akela grinned. “In my defense, first time I met you, you were about to fly back to Ohio. Didn’t exactly encourage me to get attached, _makakehau_.”

“And by the next time, I had a guy,” Sam agreed, nodding with a wry little smile. “If I had known then what I know now, though…”

Akela chuckled. “Ditto. Kurt gave me hell after you left that first time for not showing up sooner to meet you.”

“And now you’ll never hear the end of it,” Sam said with a laugh. “He never forgets that kind of thing.”

“ _‘Oia’i’o_ ,” Akela agreed, amused. “This one time, though, I won’t mind so much.”

Powa was tired of standing around and chose then to jerk his head down, surprising Kailona enough that she lost her grip on the reins completely, letting them fall to rest on his ears. Powa took a bite of grass, chewing even though his head went up as soon as he realized he was loose. He started walking towards the cross-country course with Malohi moving out to walk along next to him.

Kailona tried to reach for Powa’s reins and Powa broke into a trot, ducking his head to keep her from reaching them as she said sharply, “Powa, don’t you dare!”

Akela laughed as he started Magic after them. “Powa says we've been talking long enough.”

Sam snickered and dug his heels into Malohi’s ribs, making the surprised chestnut break into a canter just fast enough that Sam could lean to grab Powa’s trailing reins. Powa let out a huff and let Sam stop him as Sam said dryly, “He’s bored.”

Kailona reached for the reins, giving Sam a grateful look. “Thank you, he would have bolted with me next to keep me from reaching them. We’ve played that game before.”

Sam grinned. “I kind of thought he might, and I didn’t want him tripping on them, playing with you.”

Nalani trotted past them on Shah. “It’s past time to get busy anyway, we have a lot of horses to ride today.” She gave Shah his head, letting him break into a gallop down the course.

Magic was fighting to follow Shah, and Akela laughed as he said, “Go ahead and stop in the same place today, _kumu_ , you can watch. These three need a real run, but Malohi doesn’t.”

“That was my plan,” Sam agreed, smiling. “Go on, I’ll be fine.”

Akela grinned at him and then gave Magic her head, and the pretty black mare bolted towards Shah with her tail in the air, her ears pinned as she tried to catch him.

“Thanks for the help, _kaiko'eke_ ,” Kailona said, smiling at Sam when he looked at her. Powa was watching the running horses, fidgeting only a little as Kailona held him back. “You sure you’ll be okay?”

“I’m good, Malohi and I get along fine,” Sam replied with a grin. “Go have fun, just remember not to point Powa at anything you don’t want him to jump. He can nearly fly when he wants to.”

Kailona laughed. “It’ll be nice to see that for myself! See you in a bit.” She didn’t wait for him to say anything else, instead giving Powa his head as she kicked him.

Powa bolted, flagging his dark tail as he headed straight for Magic, and Kailona barely had time to realize he wasn’t going to go around the jump in his way before he leaped it like a deer without even slowing down. She laughed, wide-eyed and amazed at how easy it had been, and Powa flicked an ear back towards her. She grinned, urging him towards the next jump, and Powa didn’t argue at all, letting her guide him to the high side of a brush jump and sailing over it with no obvious effort, ears up and his tail still flagged.

Sam jogged Malohi along the side of the course after the others, grinning as he watched Kailona and Powa. As happy as Kailona looked, he was sure she’d keep fighting for the grey, which made Sam glad. Akela seemed to really like Powa, so anything that got Kailona and her mother to keep him was good in Sam’s book.

Nalani slowed Shah as they got down to the wide open area at the far end of the course a few minutes later, bringing him around in a circle to start back along the track by the jumps, and then her eyes went wide and she reined Shah to a halt to watch Kailona riding Powa towards her. They moved together like they had been training for years, no hesitation or sign of uncertainty from either of them even when Powa leaped the high bank jump from the downhill side, clearing the jump by over a foot.

“All we need is a video camera out here,” Akela said suddenly, making Nalani look to the side towards his voice in surprise. Akela had reined Magic in next to her and was grinning widely as he added, “Tell me we couldn’t sell stud fees with a video of him jumping like that, Mama Nalani.”

Nalani looked towards Powa again, watching as Kailona put him over the creek that most horses would take in two leaps, jumping down into the creek and then up the other bank. Powa sailed over the creek completely from bank to bank instead, taking the fifteen foot spread like it was nothing and never slowing his easy gallop. “I could sell _him_ for more,” Nalani said, watching as Powa jumped a pile of logs and cleared it by most of two feet. Powa looked like he was having the time of his life, ears up and tail flagged, and Kailona was beaming as she urged him on towards the last jump.

“Once,” Akela pointed out. “Or you could get a steady income of more than you paid for him in stud fees _every year_ for another fifteen years or more. He’s only eleven, he’s got a lot of good years ahead of him.”

Powa went straight for the final jump along the course, a free-standing post and rail section of fence that ranged from two feet tall on the low side to just over five feet tall on the high end, and cleared the highest part with a foot to spare. He galloped into the open area meant to give room to bring a horse around slowly, doing a beautiful rollback to turn around instead of circling around like most horses would do.

Kailona grinned at Nalani and Akela, pulling Powa up to stop near them as she said, “Mama, I’ll buy Powa from you if that’s what it takes, but we’re _keeping_ him! I don’t care if I have to pay his way out of my own pocket, I will just so I can fly like that whenever I want to.”

Akela grinned at Kailona. “See what I was saying, _hoapili_? Powa, he don’t need to learn a thing about jumping.”

Kailona nodded, still grinning. “You’re right, and he’s way too good to ruin him by fighting him in the arena like I’ve been doing every day. I won’t do it any more, I promise. We’ll play out here.” She smirked. “Bet we beat you two back to the other end.” She gave Powa his head again, kicking him, and Powa flagged his tail as he leaped into a gallop, heading straight for the nearest fence without her even having to use the reins.

Akela laughed and gave Magic her head to follow, guiding the Arab mare to stay on the track along the side of the jumps. If they were going slower he would have worked her over the low side of the course, but at a gallop he would err on the side of caution and avoid the jumps altogether.

Nalani held Shah back for a moment, watching them, and then gave the bay his head and galloped after them. She would much rather sell Powa, but Kailona hadn’t asked to keep a horse for herself in years and Akela had _never_ wanted one even though he always showed up to ride when they needed him. Akela was the son Nalani never had, Kailona’s closest friend since they met in kindergarten, and she had tried in the past to give him a horse without him ever being willing to accept one, so the fact he had offered to buy Powa said volumes about how much he liked the grey.

Kai and Akela were the most reliable members of the family as far as helping her with the farm was concerned, other than Keli, who honestly didn’t get much choice in the matter since she was the youngest and her allowance and car privileges both relied on her doing her part. Akela had lost his job more than once to be there for Nalani when she needed his help with a show or needed him to take over riding for her or Kai in an emergency, and Kailona was there _every day_ working hard even though she never made any real profit from the farm. If keeping the trouble-making grey would make them both happy, then Nalani would just have to learn to tolerate him.

Powa might not be what _Nalani_ wanted, but her kids had earned the right to keep him about ten times over in the last twenty years, even if he couldn’t earn his way. The fact that he _could_ easily support himself with stud fees - the kids were right about that, as much as she didn’t want to admit it - made it just that much more impossible for her to say no.

 

~*~

 

“You’re doing great, Sara,” Nalani called from her seat on Salsa outside the rail, smiling and pleased. “Bring her back down to a trot and work on your posting a bit more, okay?”

“Yes ma’am!” Sara called, shifting to sit up straighter as she tightened her grip on the reins and let off with her legs, and Chantilly smoothly transitioned down from a canter to a reaching trot. It took Sara a few strides to get the rhythm before she was posting, rising with the pale grey mare’s motion each time the mare’s left front foot hit the ground.

Nalani had her doubts that morning about bringing in two unknown teenaged girls to ride the horses, but after seeing the spotless boarding barn, which Sara and Grace had not only mucked out but then also swept clean, she believed they were really there to help. Both girls had been glad to do whatever was asked of them, whether that was grooming a horse and saddling it up for Nalani or Kailona, or warming up and cooling down horses in the small arena so Nalani and Kailona could concentrate on real training, all things that Keli normally complained loudly about.

It was tedious work that most girls wouldn’t have wanted to do, but Grace and Sara both seemed to be enjoying themselves with even the boring parts of riding. Sara didn’t know as much about riding as Grace did, by far, but the girl wanted to learn and Nalani had only had to show her what she should be doing once before Sara was picking it up. Sara was riding her third and last horse for the day at the moment, and Nalani was very pleased by how much better she had gotten at posting in just two hours.

Nalani watched Sara for almost a full circuit of the arena and then called, “Just like that, Sara, very good! Take her around four more times and then walk her until she’s cool and not breathing hard anymore.”

“Yes ma’am!” Sara replied, not looking towards Nalani because she was afraid she’d lose rhythm. It had taken her what seemed like forever to get posting down well enough to please Nalani, and she didn’t want to disappoint her. Kailona’s mom was nice but strict and had very definite opinions on exactly how her horses should be ridden.

Nalani turned Salsa to trot the leggy bay Thoroughbred mare past the barn towards the big arena, where Kailona and Grace were supposed to be riding over jumps. She hadn’t been happy about Akela and Kailona bringing the girls and Sam into the day’s work at first, but she needed to apologize to them. They were hours ahead of schedule because the girls had been working so hard, and she was going to be done for the day long before she had expected because Akela had done half her work for her. Even Akela's boyfriend hadn't been in the way, though he wasn't actually helping much either.

Akela was out on the cross country course again then working Tucker, one of the young horses that Nalani was fitting for sale, with his guy riding along on a stocky dun Quarter Horse gelding named Duke that was theoretically boarded with them, though Nalani would own him soon. Akela had ridden Duke in the past and he had been watching Sam ride, so Nalani hoped he had judged Sam's ability correctly when Akela chose Duke for Sam to try out. Duke wasn't high spirited by any means, but he was a lot more horse than Malohi was and she wondered for a moment how Sam was dealing with him. Duke _did_ need ridden, he'd been lazing around for weeks, so if Sam did well with him it would save someone else needing to ride him.

Duke was a good solid all-around horse who would do playday events or work over a three-foot jumping course with equal ease, friendly and easy-going, but his owner was a college girl who had lost interest in riding. She hadn't ridden Duke at all in the last six months, and the last time Nalani had called about him the girl had said that she wasn't paying the bill on a horse she didn't want. Nalani's boarding policy, which the girl had signed off on, stated that a horse reverted to Nalani's ownership if their board was unpaid for more than four months, so Duke would belong to the farm in another week or so. Duke would move to the main boarding barn and go on the list of available Pony Club mounts when he was legally Nalani's, but until then he was in the back barn and seldom getting ridden.

There was no sign of Kailona when Nalani reached the bigger arena, but Grace was there working one of the Pony Club ponies and Nalani halted Salsa at the gate to watch. The pony was a thirteen hand buckskin Connemara gelding named Rabbit that Kailona had raised and trained for their show string after Nalani took him as payment for his dam's boarding bill when he was just a colt.

Nine years later, Rabbit was a finished jumping pony with excellent manners who could be counted on to be in the ribbons in any class, _if_ he had a good rider. Rabbit was jumping beautifully for Grace, ears up as he tucked his knees up neatly for each jump and cleared them with room to spare, and Nalani just sat and watched with a surprised, pleased smile. Grace was riding Rabbit around the course with deceptive ease, judging the distances and strides needed between jumps with skill to set Rabbit up perfectly for each one and make it easy for her mount to do his job.

Seeing Rabbit working so well was eloquent proof that Grace had exceptional hands and paid close attention to her horse, two things many young riders couldn't claim. Rabbit had a history of being a difficult pony to get a clean round on because he needed a firm hand to keep him in a good frame or he would rush through the course, but too firm of a hand would make him start to hesitate, forcing the rider use more and more leg to keep him moving. It was a delicate balance and Nalani hadn't seen him jumping so well or with such obvious pleasure in a long time.

Grace guided Rabbit over the last jump and then loosened the reins, letting him lower his head and relax as she let off on the pressure with her legs and sat up straight to slow him down. She was beaming as she started him around the arena at an easy slow trot, posting automatically while she talked quietly enough to the horse that Nalani couldn’t hear her, but Rabbit could. The sensitive gelding's ear kept twitching back to listen to Grace, and he was moving with his neck arched and a proud bounce to his step, obviously aware he'd done well.

Nalani waited for Grace to circle the arena far enough to be near her and then called, “Grace, come here please.”

Grace looked up in surprise, guiding Rabbit towards Nalani with her legs to give his mouth and her shoulders a rest. He had a hard mouth and tended to lean on the bit for balance, which had given her shoulders a real workout by the time they finished the course twice, but he had done beautifully. She had needed more contact on his mouth than she liked to get him working smoothly, but he seemed used to it and she had been careful to use only as much contact as she needed to keep him from rushing the jumps.

Nalani smiled at how well Grace stopped Rabbit, using just enough light contact on the gelding's reins so that he came to a nice square stop just in front of Salsa and then loosening the reins again while he stood still and relaxed. Grace looked worriedly at Nalani and asked, "Did I do something wrong, ma'am?"

"Not at all, Grace," Nalani said quickly, smiling. “I just wanted to ask you a few questions."

Grace relaxed a bit, obviously relieved. "I'll answer as best I can, ma'am."

"Good, thank you," Nalani said, smiling. "Why did your mother stop your riding lessons?”

“She was thrown by a polo pony that one of Step-Stan's friends let her try out,” Grace replied. “He was too much horse for her, and when she tried to show off on him he threw her and she hurt her shoulder. She decided that if she could get hurt then it was too dangerous for me to be riding, even though _I’ve_ never fallen off of a horse in my life.”

“You belong on a horse, Grace,” Nalani said quickly, amused. “I don’t know your mother, but she obviously hasn’t been paying attention if she thinks you’re in danger when you ride. You just rode Rabbit better than Keli ever has, and she’s been helping _teach_ my younger Pony Club students for the last two years.” Grace’s eyes went wide and Nalani laughed softly. “Don’t be so surprised. You’re a natural on a horse, sweetie, Akela was completely right about that. It would be a waste for you to give up riding.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Grace murmured quietly, blushing even though she was beaming. “I love to ride.”

“I can tell,” Nalani said with a pleased grin. “I wasn’t especially happy with Akela and Kailona this morning when I heard they had brought you and Sara in to ride for free again, but you more than earned your time in the saddle today. You just gave Rabbit as professional a ride as I could do myself, which saved me a lot of time.”

“Sara’s been working really hard, too,” Grace said quickly, beaming so happily she was practically glowing with it. “She never rode English before today so it was harder for her.”

Nalani’s eyes widened. “Are you serious?”

“Yes ma’am,” Grace replied with a pleased grin. “Sara learned to ride on her grandpa’s cutting horses, but he died when she was five and she hadn’t been on a horse since then. She did so good yesterday on Jaz that Akela said she should try English today, and I think she did really good! I only had to help her a little when she got on Kipper earlier, reminding her to keep light contact on his mouth the way we do for English instead of a loose rein like she was used to. Her grandpa taught her to never mess with a horse's mouth, but for English you kind of have to. She picked it up really fast.”

“She definitely did,” Nalani agreed, still a bit wide-eyed. “I was sure she’s been riding for a year or two at least.”

Grace beamed. “She’s going to be _really_ good once she has more practice. Akela said yesterday that she has good instincts.”

“She does,” Nalani said, nodding and smiling. “You both do, though. My youngest daughter Keli is about your age, but she doesn’t have the same feel for a horse that you do.” Her smile turned wry, thinking about Keli. “She doesn’t actually _enjoy_ schooling, not when we have several who need to do the same things, at least. She would have been bored long before she got to her fourth horse to work over the jumps. That's why Kailona keeps ending up with so many horses to ride. Keli doesn't pay attention for more than one or two horses a day, and we can't afford for her to get one of the boarders hurt or teach them bad habits.”

“I love to ride, I don’t mind whatever you need me to do,” Grace said quickly, “I'll do all the boring things while you let Keli have the rides she thinks are more fun, I don't mind. I enjoy it all, even rail work like Sara's been doing.”

Nalani smiled warmly. “I appreciate that, Grace, thank you. I’d like to talk to your parents about your riding soon, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“You should talk to my dads then,” Grace said, looking more serious. “Mom’s silly about my riding now, but Daddy has custody, so he and Dad make the decisions. Danno and Super-Steve know that I love to ride and they don’t mind me helping out here as long as I wear my helmet and I’m careful.”

Nalani’s eyebrows rose a bit but she didn’t ask, smiling at Grace. “Could you have your dad call me sometime soon, then? Akela’s got my personal number.”

“I could get my phone so you can call him now,” Grace offered. “It’s in Akela's car in my purse. Danno always answers for me, even if he’s busy with a case.”

“No, that won’t be necessary,” Nalani disagreed, amused. “Just have him call me, okay?”

“I will,” Grace agreed. “I’ll tell him this afternoon when he gets home from work.”

“Thank you, Grace.” Nalani smiled, changing the subject slightly. “Akela mentioned that Sara’s living with her older brother?”

“Yes ma’am,” Grace replied. “She just moved here, my cousin Noah is her legal guardian. They live with us, we're one big happy _'ohana_.” She didn’t say anything about their mom, she knew Sara just flat did not want to discuss Nancy with anyone if she could avoid it.

“I should talk to him too, then,” Nalani said, smiling. “I’d appreciate it if you’d let them both know they should call me when they can. Anytime before nine P.M. is fine.”

“Yes ma’am,” Grace agreed, “I’ll tell them when they get home today.”

“Good, thank you,” Nalani said, then asked, “Where did Kailona go, do you know?”

“Yes ma’am,” Grace said. “Kailona tried to take Cindy around the course ahead of me but Cindy was acting up so much that Kai decided to ride her down the cross-country course first to get her to settle down for a clean round before she calls it a day. I was to take Rabbit around twice and then go help Sara with cooling out Chantilly. When they're both cool, Kai said to take them to their stalls to brush them out and pick their feet before we put them away for the day so they'll be ready for their usual lesson riders tomorrow.”

“Good plan,” Nalani agreed, pleased. “Was that your second round I saw?" Grace nodded. "Okay, good. Go ahead and take Rabbit over to the small arena to ride with Sara while you cool them out. I’m sure you’ve got a better eye for when they’re cool than Sara does, and it won't be so boring with someone to talk to.”

“Yes ma’am,” Grace agreed. “Have fun with Salsa.” She nudged Rabbit with her heels, guiding him out of the big arena past Nalani and Salsa and then urging him into an easy trot towards the smaller arena on the far side of the barn.

Nalani watched her go for a moment, liking how Grace rode Rabbit with her legs and barely used the reins at all, then started Salsa out into the arena to school her over the jumping course. Salsa’s owner would be out for a lesson the next afternoon too, and Nalani wanted to make sure the mare hadn’t forgotten her training session earlier in the week. Salsa had a tendency to rush the course when she was jumping, and Nalani had been working hard to teach her to slow down and take her time, which wasn't easy for a mare with a lot of natural speed.

Taking Salsa around the course set up in the arena only took a few minutes, even going slowly, and soon Nalani was cantering the leggy mare slowly down the track that led to the cross country course, wondering how the kids were doing. She had ridden on the cross-country course earlier and the gate had been open then as it normally was, so she was surprised to find the gate closed when she reached it. She stopped Salsa at the gate, leaning down to unlatch it and then pushing it open to go in before she made Salsa shoulder it closed and then leaned to latch it again.

Nalani started Salsa down the trail along the side of the course at a canter, frowning slightly as she wondered why the gate had been closed. They usually didn't close it at all unless there were horses turned out in the course to graze, which they did two days a week when they wouldn't be riding on the course, but that day was definitely a riding day. She had her answer a few moments later when she rounded a curve and a mostly white Paint mare shied away from her approach, wide-eyed and snorting. The mare was saddled but not wearing a bridle, and covered in mud all along one side as if she had laid down in the creek.

"Don't let her go towards the gate, Mama!" Kailona called suddenly, making Nalani look towards the sound to see Kai on the far side of the nearest jump, on foot and covered in mud with a bridle hanging over her shoulder.

"How?" Nalani asked, at a loss for words even as she guided Salsa to keep her between Cindy and the gate.

"She was acting up in the arena, bucking and shying at jumps, so I brought her out here to run the spook out of her," Kailona replied, frustrated and annoyed. "You know how she is, sometimes you just have to gallop her to take the edge off, _then_ work with her. She was fine out here until we got to the creek, and then she threw another bucking fit and slipped in the mud. I came off before she hit the ground so she wouldn't land on me, but I still had the reins when she jumped up and she twisted out of her bridle. I've been trying to get near her ever since."

"I've tried telling you that you leave your throatlatch too loose," Nalani pointed out, trying not to laugh. Cindy could be a real handful sometimes, but it was the first time she had ever managed to get Kailona out of the saddle. The mare regularly threw her owner, a teenaged girl who got daddy to buy the mare because she was a flashy Paint with a fancy pedigree, but the girl wouldn't hear of selling her to buy a more suitable show jumper. Cindy _could_ jump, but she would get into moods and refuse to do anything for days before she'd suddenly be a perfect little show pony for a day or a week, depending on her whims. If she were Nalani's horse, she would have sold her months ago as a broodmare, but her owner wouldn't hear of it.

"Yes, yes you have," Kalani agreed, a muscle in her jaw flexing as she ground her teeth."Thank you for that _pearl_ of wisdom, Mother."

"Where are Akela and Sam?" Nalani asked, trying harder to hide her amusement.

"I sent Akela to get me a bucket of feed," Kai replied, scowling at her mother. "Sam's just down the field to keep her from going back that way." She raised her voice, calling, "Sam?"

"Yeah Kai?" Sam called back.

"Bring Duke on up where you can see us!" Kailona called, and a few moments later Sam rode into sight on Duke.

Sam guided Duke to a stop so that he was blocking Cindy's path back towards the rest of the course, looking amused. "You think you can get her now?" Duke was pawing at the ground but not really fighting with Sam, who he already knew would let him fidget as long as he didn't try to move off. Sam had a very simple, laid-back outlook on riding, and as long as Duke went where Sam asked he let the dun gelding snatch the occasional bite of grass and didn't mind him moving a bit.

"No, I'm waiting for that bucket of feed," Kailona replied with a little laugh. "I just want her to stay put until then."

They all looked at Cindy again. The mare had moved away as far as she could and was grazing at the edge of the cross-country course, but she kept jerking her head up to watch them as if she was looking for a chance to bolt again. They heard the a cantering horse and looked towards it to see Akela round a curve in the course riding Powa bareback with just a bridle, a coil of rope over his shoulder and a bucket of feed in one hand.

"Why are you on Powa?" Kailona asked, surprised. "Where's Tucker?"

"I gave him to Gracie," Akela replied, stopping next to Kailona to offer her the bucket. "After I galloped him back to the barn he was done for the day. She's leading him while she and Sara cool out Rabbit and that little grey Sara is on."

Kailona took the bucket, bemused. "That still doesn't explain why you're on Powa."

"Because if your bucket trick doesn't work, on him I know I can catch Cindy if I have to," Akela replied, amused. "He can outrun her and if she decides to jump a fence it won't even slow him down."

"Smart," Nalani said with a laugh. "Are you sure you can stay on him jumping bareback?"

"I just did," Akela said, smirking as he walked Powa over to close the gap between where Nalani was and the jump that Sam was on the far side of, penning Cindy into a curve in the course. "Opening gates is for amateurs." Sam laughed at that, and Akela looked over at him, still smirking. "Still having fun with Duke, _ipo_?"

"Duke and I get along fine," Sam replied, still amused. "He's had fun keeping Cindy from getting past us, I think. I didn't even have to tell him what to do once he understood I was trying to block her, just hold on and let him work."

"Duke would be an awesome cutting horse," Kailona agreed, laughing as she untangled the reins of the bridle she had over her shoulder. "He was cutting her off every time she even thought about dodging by, it was awesome. Cindy was so mad." She started towards Cindy with the bucket, adding, "Watch her now, I'm going to try." She shook the bucket to get Cindy's attention, and the Paint mare threw up her head to look towards Kailona, her ears pricking forward interestedly. "Come on, you witch. Come eat so I can catch you."

Kailona laid the reins around the top of the bucket so that Cindy would have to put her head through the loop to get to the feed, a trick that wouldn't work on all horses but usually did with Cindy, who was a chowhound. The Paint mare walked right up to Kai and shoved her head into the bucket, taking a big gulp of feed while Kai twisted the reins tight around her neck.

The mare lifted her head, laying her ears back to glare at Kailona while she chewed her feed, and Kai said sharply, "Don't look at me in that tone of voice." She put the bucket down behind her and then started to put the bridle back on Cindy as she asked, "Akela, did Duke get a decent ride yet?"

"Sam rode along on the track with me some while I was working Tucker," Akela replied, amused. "He's not tired, if that's what you're asking, but he's had a better ride than Keli usually gives him. We cantered the course down and back, then I took Tucker over the low side. We were on the way back the second time when we heard you yelling at Cindy."

"I was just wondering if you two were done for the day," Kai replied, tightening the throatlatch on Cindy's bridle much more snug than she did earlier so that the mare couldn't jerk the bridle off over her ears again. "I know Powa had a good ride this morning already."

"Powa's fine," Akela said with a soft laugh. "He's a polo pony, not a show jumper, remember? He's used to working fifteen minutes, getting half an hour off, then going again and keeping that up _all day_." He grinned. "You want us to ride along with you in case she throws you again?"

Nalani laughed. "I'll ride along with her. You go get Powa into his stall before he gets any ideas from that mare and throws you so he can go play."

Akela laughed. "I'm not so easy to throw as all that, Mama Nalani, but whatever you say." He looked at Sam, who was sitting on Duke waiting patiently and looking amused. "Come on, _huapala_ , the girls ought to be about done by now. By the time we get Duke and Tucker cooled out and put up, we can go eat."

Sam nudged Duke gently with his heels to start the dun moving towards Akela, smiling. "Sounds good to me, I'm hungry."

"Me too!" Akela agreed, waiting for Duke to reach Powa before he started the grey moving. "Plus we got that shopping to do after."

"Speaking of," Nalani said, "if you're going to keep bringing the girls out and riding with them, Sam, you'll need a helmet and riding boots, too."

Akela reined Powa to a stop, surprised as he looked back at Nalani. "I don't wear boots or a helmet."

"You've been riding since you were _five_ ," Nalani pointed out. "Sam doesn't have that kind of experience though, 'Kela, so if he's going to be riding much, he needs boots and a helmet unless he's on Malohi."

"I haven't had any trouble with Duke," Sam pointed out, surprised too.

Nalani smiled at Sam. "I'm glad, but if I had known Akela was going to put you on him before you two were already gone, I would have said no. He's a good horse, but he's a bit more than I would suggest for a novice rider."

"Sam's fine," Akela said cheerfully, amused. "I keep him out of trouble, Mama. We'll get him some boots, but I think a helmet is overkill."

"I already _have_ boots," Sam said dryly, amused. "They're just in Ohio."

Akela looked at Sam, grinning. "Hiking boots?"

"No, _milinanea_ , good old fashioned _cowboy_ boots," Sam replied, still amused. "Bought them the summer after high school when I dated a guy who was big into line dancing. The guy didn't last long, and I got bored with line dancing just as quick, but the boots I still wear." He laughed, adding, "Just not on the beach."

Akela laughed and looked back at Nalani. "See then? All fixed. He'll have boots soon, Mama Naloni."

Naloni pursed her lips. "Akela, I know I let you get away with a lot, so you think he should too, but seriously. He's only been riding for _two days_. He needs a helmet and boots on."

" _I've_ been the one watching him," Akela countered more firmly, his easygoing smile suddenly gone, "and I've been riding as long as I can remember. If he was in _any_ danger, I wouldn't let him ride. I know you think I'm an airhead, but I want to keep him healthy a _lot_ more than you do, I promise."

"Mama, really," Kailona said, drawing attention to her. She was just settling into the saddle on Cindy again. "Akela _loves him_. If he wasn't safe, Akela would be the first to tell him to stay off the horses."

"I value my own skin too," Sam pointed out dryly. "If I didn't feel safe, _none of you_ could get me to ride." He started Duke jogging slowly towards the gate, adding cheerfully, "I'll wear boots tomorrow, but I'm not interested in a helmet, thanks anyway."

Akela laughed and started Powa moving, hurrying to catch Duke and then slowing down again to jog next to him. "You'll buy boots just for a couple of weeks, _ipo_?"

"No, I'll steal Kurt's boots," Sam replied, grinning. "We wear the same size shoe unless his feet have suddenly changed, and I know he's got a pair somewhere. Or five."

Akela laughed. "He always _has_ had a thing for boots."

"Always," Sam agreed, laughing too. "He was born that way."

Nalani watched them go, frowning, and she was a bit surprised when Kailona murmured next to her, "Let it go, Mama." Nalani looked at her daughter, surprised that Kai looked fairly serious as she added, "Akela loves him like he loves breathing. He'll keep Sam safe. There won't be any lawsuits."

Nalani sighed. "I wasn't worried about _lawsuits_. I just don't want him getting hurt."

"You haven't even watched Sam ride yet," Kailona pointed out. "Not really. How do you know he's not safe?"

"No, not yet," Nalani agreed, "but he's only been on two horses in his life. He shouldn't be out on the cross-country course at all, much less on Duke, who hasn't been ridden in weeks."

"He rides Malohi and Duke very easily and well," Kailona pointed out, smiling. "You should have seen him while Duke was cutting back and forth to keep Cindy where I wanted her. Sam dropped the reins on Duke's neck and sat his saddle like a pro, grinning and just holding on while Duke did all the work. I'm glad that Akela put a western saddle on Duke for him, Sam needed that saddle horn."

"So you think he's safe on Duke?" Nalani asked, surprised.

"Yeah, Mama, I do," Kailona replied, nodding. "Sam's not a professional rider by far, but he doesn't ask the horses for much, and they seem to like how he handles them. Malohi could sleep-walk through a typhoon, anyone can ride him, but Duke's a much more responsive horse and a better fit for Sam, I think."

Nalani just looked at Kailona for a long moment. "And if he decides to act up?"

"Sam can handle it," Kailona said confidently. "I wouldn't say Duke's safe for just _any_ beginner, Mama, but I think Sam will be okay on him."

"Alright, but I don't want him on just any horse," Nalani said firmly. "Next time he rides Malohi or Duke, or maybe Ginger."

"Mama, Ginger's nearly thirty!" Kailona said, laughing.

"She's also safe for a beginner," Nalani replied, starting Salsa moving down the course.

Kailona heeled Cindy after her mother, moving to ride next to her. "She's safe enough for a _dead guy_ , Mama. Ginger hasn't broken a trot in _years_."

"At least he won't fall off," Nalani said pointedly. "I don't want the first person Akela's cared about since high school getting hurt."

"Mama, he'll be fine," Kailona said, bemused. "Sam had no trouble staying on Duke while he was doing a really solid impression of a cutting horse, and I've seen him ride the course with Akela, jumping in and out of the creek and everything. He's got a good seat for a beginner." Nalani looked at her daughter, skeptical, and Kailona added, "He knows next to nothing except what he's picked up watching Akela and Gracie, but he's good at holding on and the horses like him."

Nalani was quiet for a few moments as they cantered along the course, then finally said, "Next time they're coming, I want to watch him ride Duke in the arena. If he does alright there, then I'll stop arguing."

"Alright Mama, I'll let Akela know," Kailona agreed, amused. "I think he'll surprise you, though." She changed the subject, asking, "How did Sara do today?"

Nalani let out a soft laugh. "Well enough I thought she'd been riding a few years, not a couple of days."

Kailona grinned. "She was practically born on a horse, but it's been a long time since she rode."

"She hasn't forgotten how," Nalani said dryly. "The only thing I had to really teach her is posting. She was terrible at it when I first put her up on Kitty, but she finally got it."

"She hadn't ever posted before," Kailona said, grinning wider. "Sounds like she picked it up faster than the Pony Clubbers do."

"She wants it more, I think," Nalani admitted. "Grace, too. She put as good a ride on Rabbit as anyone can except maybe you."

"Grace has the touch," Kailona agreed, nodding. "She could _dominate_ the show circuit with a decent horse."

"I'm going to talk to her dad about that soon," Nalani said, making Kailona look at her in surprise. "I told her to have him call me. That girl should have a decent show jumper to ride, not be mucking stalls for a chance to school on mid-level show ponies."

Kailona nodded and then said slyly, "Keli's been begging you to let her stop riding. That would leave Rabbit without anyone to show him this season."

"I'm way ahead of you, Kai," Nalani agreed, giving her daughter an amused smile. "With Grace, Rabbit could move up a level, I think. She had him working so well he cleared his usual height by a foot or more, every jump, and there's a good solid month for her to work with him before the first show."

"She'd have to join Pony Club," Kailona pointed out.

"Which is why I need to speak to her father." Nalani grinned, adding, "And I just might have a nice show pony he could lease for her."

"What about Sara?" Kailona asked, smiling.

"I'd like her to join too," Nalani agreed, "but I'm not sure we have anything available that would suit her."

Kailona thought about that a few moments and then said, "Well, she hasn't really ridden over jumps, so she won't need an advanced pony. We could try her with Duke, he does three feet."

Nalani shook her head. "No, if he and Sam really are doing well together, I'd rather keep Sam on him. Duke can keep up well enough with anything we might need Akela to ride."

"The only other horse we have open that could go English is Tucker," Kailona said, "unless you want me to get Jasmine going English. She and Sara got along well, but they were going western."

"We'll work on them both," Nanali decided, "and in the meantime we can get Sara started schooling with the boarders. We've got a dozen she could ride to start cavalettis and get her basics down pat before we start her with jumping if her brother is willing to let her ride."

"Puck is already letting her ride," Kailona pointed out, hesitating slightly before she added, "and I'm pretty sure he'll go along with whatever will make her happy. Sara's had a rough time the last few years, and from what Akela says, Puck feels responsible. He'd do anything to make it up to her."

"What happened?" Nalani asked, looking at Kai in surprise.

"When Puck left Ohio, he couldn't bring Sara with him," Kailona replied, suddenly feeling kind of sad as she thought about it. "Their mom was pretty evil from what little Akela told me, worse than Leslie's dad, and she kicked Puck out when he turned eighteen and said she'd call the cops if he ever contacted them again. Puck hadn't spoken to Sara in years when their mom died in a car accident, and Puck got custody. That's why Sam came out early for Christmas, he was bringing Sara to live with her brother. Puck and Sam have been close since high school, and Sam's been watching out for her since Puck left."

"That's awful," Nalani murmured sadly. "I suppose that was a while back?"

"Last week," Kailona corrected, "but don't mention it around Sara, please. From what Sam has told Akela, Sara just wants to forget her mother, and I can't say that I blame her."

Nalani's eyes widened. "Is that how Sara got the injuries in her hair? The accident where her mother died?"

"Yeah," Kailona replied, nodding. "She was in the car, but Sam didn't want to talk about it even with Akela. He just told Akela that Sara and Puck are better off with their mom dead."

"That poor child," Nalani murmured, sad. "I can't imagine what it must be like to have such a horrible mother."

"Neither can I," Kailona agreed, reaching over to grab Nalani's hand with a sudden smile. "I have an _awesome_ mother."

Nalani turned her hand to hold her daughter's, smiling as she gave Kailona's hand a squeeze. "I'm glad you think so, honey. I try."

"You do great, Mama," Kailona said firmly, still smiling. "You're kinda crazy sometimes when it comes to the horses, but you always have been according to Daddy."

Nalani laughed. "He still tells people I love Shah more than I do him."

"Only because you do," Kailona agreed with a giggle.

"I do not!" Nalani protested, laughing.

Kailona grinned and teased, "You so totally do, Mama, but Daddy doesn't mind. He says he's always known you were horse crazy, and he's happy with second place."

Nalani laughed again, trying to find the words to protest even though it really was sort of true. Her horses were her life, and Kekoa had always known that, never making her have to choose between the horses and pleasing him.

Kailona giggled and let go of her mom's hand, giving her an impish grin. "Bet I can beat you down the course and back." She didn't wait for a reply, kicking Cindy hard and making the surprised mare bolt.

Nalani laughed and urged Salsa after Cindy, sure that she'd win. Cindy was fast for a Paint, but no match for a granddaughter of Sunday Silence. Salsa had ended up as a show jumper after it was decided she wasn't fast enough for the track, but she was still much faster than the average horse, and she could outrun Cindy without even trying hard.

 

~End~

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Note: The Hawai'ian language is very complex and meanings of a single word can vary greatly, but I gathered my information from websites created by native Hawai'ians seeking to preserve their language and share it with the world. 
> 
> Glossary in order of first usage:
> 
> 1}  
> 'ohana - the people you count as close family, whether they're related by blood or not  
> 'Ae - yes  
> 'Oia - true  
> kama'aina - native Hawai'ian  
> kumu - goatfish, also slang term for a sexy male sweetheart or lover  
> ka'u aikane - my friend  
> wahines - girls  
> hana ma'i - have sex  
> 'ume loa - very attractive or enticing  
> lahoku - promiscuous male or rentboy  
> poki'i - affectionate term for younger sibling or cousin  
> kamipulu - damn fool  
> loko 'ino - heartless, cruel  
> 'oia'i'o - true fact  
> makamaka - intimate friend  
> 'ume - attractive or enticing  
> nani - beautiful  
> kane i ka 'ili - true husband, soulmate; literally 'husband in the skin' ('bashert' in Hebrew)  
> hoapili - best friend  
> kipona aloha - intense love, true love  
> 'i'ini - desire  
> kaunu waha - insincere lovemaking  
> 'Amene - amen  
> hoaloha - good friend or beloved companion  
> mahalo - thanks  
> He mea iki. - it's a trifle, don't mention it, you're welcome.  
> huapala - attractive sweetheart  
> ipo - lover, sweetheart  
> hoa 'inau - spouse, sweetheart  
> pua'a - pig  
> makamae - darling, precious, treasure  
> kaunu - make love  
> Honi kaua, makamae. - Kiss me, darling.  
> Mahalo e ke Akua - Thank you God.  
> ku'u - 'my' with a strong connotation of affection or possessiveness  
> ka'u - 'my' without the strong affection or possessiveness  
> ku'u kumu - my sexy male sweetheart or lover  
> Aloha ahiahi. - Good evening/night.  
> ku'u ipo - my lover or sweetheart  
> ho'opoki'i - younger people claimed as poki'i (siblings) despite no blood relation  
> Nui loa, makamae. - Very much, darling.  
> Mai e honi kaua. - Come and kiss me.  
> kama ali'i wahines - princesses  
> ku'u ipo ahi - my ardent lover  
> milinanea - cherished person that delights and absorbs one's attention  
> Ua maopopo ia'u iki. - I understand a little.  
> Keko - Monkey  
> makuakane - father  
> kama lei - beloved child  
> kua'ana - older sibling or cousin of the same sex  
> kaina - younger sibling or cousin of the same sex  
> 'ono loa - very delicious  
> makuahine - mother  
> Helu 'ekahi mea 'ai. - First rate food.  
> He mea iki, kunane. - Don't mention it, brother(of a female).  
> kolohe - troublemaker  
> kanapapiki - son of a bitch  
> Powa - Pirate  
> 'okole - ass (more polite term is 'lemu')  
> Malohi - sleepy, drowsy  
> Hulahe - to jump for joy  
> ku'u makakehau - my heart's desire  
> Nau ko'u aloha. - My love is yours.  
> Kau a kau. - literally 'season after season', figuratively 'Always and forever.'  
> ho'okela o ka ho'oipoipo - fantastic love making  
> lolo luahine - crazy old woman  
> ili 'olelo - gossip, tattletale  
> Puni i ka kuli'a - to be overcome with great desire  
> ka mea e lo'ana - antyhing at all  
> 'oe - you  
> Nau ko'u aloha. - My love is yours.  
> E lei no au i ko aloha. - I will wear your love as a wreath.
> 
> 2}  
> kaiko'eke - brother in law  
> wai 'apo - beloved mate or spouse  
> imu - pit for slow cooking food underground, usually covered with a tarp and dirt  
> kalua - food cooked in an imu, such as 'kalua pig'  
> Nou no ka 'i'ini noho. - I want you to stay.  
> Ho'okahi ko kaua noho pu 'ana. - Let's live together.  
> E pili kaua. - Let's be together.  
> Aloha aku no, aloha mai no. - I give my love to you, you give your love to me.  
> Kau a kau. - literally 'season after season', figuratively 'Always and forever.'  
> ku'u makakehau - my heart's desire  
> Aloha au ia 'oe. - I love you.  
> E ho'omau maua ke aloha. - May our love last forever.  
> palaku - ripe to perfection  
> Pilikua - beloved husband  
> noho like - to live together as partners  
> Mele Kalikimaka - Merry Christmas  
> Nau ko'u aloha. - My love is yours.  
> pili'ao'ao - mate or common-law spouse who one lives with openly  
> haole - outsider, with the connotation that they don't want to learn island ways  
> malihini - outsider, but one who wants to learn island ways  
> Na'u 'oe. - You're mine.  
> Apau nau. - All yours.


End file.
